Catholic  ©tjurch 


REV-  PETER  ROSEN, 

HOLLANDALE.  WI8, 


1902. 

CANNON  PRINTING  Co. 
.MII.WAITKKK. 


iCoi>.\  ritflit.  190:.',  liy  IVtt-r 


ST.  FRANCIS.  MILWAUKEE,  Wis.,  March  21,  1902. 

NIHII.  OBSTAT 

DK.  S.  LEBT,,,  Censor, 

Imprimatur. 

•*•  FKHIIERKTS  XAVEHITS. 

Archiep  Milw. 


Apostolic  Delegation,  Washington.  J>  C'., 
April  3d.  1!W.' 

DEAR  FATHER  ROSEN  : 

.  .  .  Hope  the  book  will  be  useful  to  the  Catholic  people 
With  my  best  wishes.  I  am 

Yours  Sincerely, 

SEBASTIAN  CARD.  MARTINETS. 


1732210 


'•CHRIST  is  THK  TEACHER  AND  TIIK  EXAMPLE  OF  ALL 

.      SANCTITY   AND   TO   His   STANDARD    Ml'sT  ALL  THOSE 
CONFORM   WHO   WISH   FOR    ETERNAL   LIFE." 

(Leo  XIII  in  hit:  letter  to  Cardinal  Gibbons  of  January  22,  18Df>.) 


TABLE    OF    CONTENTS. 


PAET  I. 

CHAPTER.  PAGE. 

I.  Secret  Societies    -  11 

II.  Danger  to  the  State  16 

III.  Freemasonry  and  the  Church  21 

IY.  The  Devil  33 

V.  Heresies  38 

VI.  Pythagoras       -  -     14 

VII.  Life  Insurance  in  Secret  Societies  50 

VIII.  The  Parliament  of  Keligions  61 

IX.  The  Oath  in  Secret  Societies  (58 

X.  Initiation  Into  Secret  Societies  72 

XT.  Signs,  Symbols  and  Ceremonies    -  79 

XII.  The  Five  Pillars  in  the  Lodge  Room    82 

XIII.  The  Blazing  Star,  Cross,  Square  and 

Compass                             -  86 

XIV.  Other  Emblems  as  Explained  in  Odd- 

Fellows'  Text-Book  and  Manual  -  89 

XV.  The  Magi  106 

XVI.  The  Mithrades  -  117 

XVII.  Secret  Societies  in  Egypt  119 

XVIII.  The  Eleusinian  Mysteries  -  123 

XIX.  The  Ancient  Druids  125 

XX.  Secret  Societies  in  Ireland  -  128 

XXI.  The  Orangemen  131 

XXII.  The  Fenians  -  132 

XXIII.  The  Carbonari      -                          -  135 


CHAl'TEIt.  PAGE. 

XXIV.  The  Odd-Fellows  -  140 

XXV.  Encampment  Odd- Fellowship  149 

XXVI.  Degree  of  Patriarch  Militant  of  the 

I.  0.  0.  F.  -  158 

XXV FI.  Knights  of  Pythias  ICO 

XXVIII.  Good  Templars,  Sons  of  Toinpornneo, 

Rechabites,  etc.  -  174 

XXIX.  The  Modern  Woodmen  of  Amerien       179 

XXX.  Improved  Order  of  Redmen  -  198 

XXXI.  Knights  of  the  Maccabees  209 

XXXII.  Order  of  Heptapoplis  or  Seven  Wise 

Men  -  222 

XXXIII.  Foresters  234 

XXXIV.  Order  of  the  Red  Cross  -  240 
.XXXV.  United  Sons  of  Industry  244 
XXXVI.  Order  of  Mutual  Protection  -  247 

XXXVII.  Knights  of  the  Orient  -  248 

XXXVIII.  Home  Fornm  B-nofit  Order  -  253 

XXXIX.  The  Elks  257 

XL.  Royal  Arcanum    -  258 

XLI.  Supreme  Court  of  Honor  -  285 

XLII.  The  Globe  Fraternal  Legion  -  289 

XLIIL  College  Secret  Societies  -  291 

XLIV.  The  So-called  Secret  Work    -  -       296 


PART  II. 

I.  The  Church  -  303 

II.  Encyclical  Letter,  Humanum  Genus  307 

III.  The  Hierarchy  of  the  United  States  -  335 

IV.  Mgr.  Martinelli  on  the  Secret  Society 

Question  -       342 


PART  I. 


SECRET  SOCIETIES 


CHAPTER  1. 

SECRET  SOCIETIES. 

The  so-called  Secret  Society  question  is  the  most  seri- 
ous problem  facing  the  Catholic  Church  in  the  United 
States  today. 

I  have  for  various  reasons  been  compelled  to  think 
and  study  much  about  this  subject. 

As  a  Priest  I  have  studied  the  situation  from  the 
religious  point  of  view,  and  by  dint  of  perseverance,  have 
the  advantage  of  getting  a  view  in  no  sense  prejudiced. 

In  the  following  pages  secret  societies  as  organiza- 
tions are  dealt  with,  and  not  individual  members  of  such 
societies.  Nine  out  of  every  ten  members  do  not  under- 
stand the  underlying  principles  of  these  societies. 

On  the  correct  solution  of  this  momentous  question 
depends  the  eternal  salvation  of  millions  of  our  fellow- 
citizens,  who,  as  things  now  are,  mislead  others  as  they 
themselves  are  misled. 

I  deal  with  these  societies  in  what  I  may  call  a  new 
aspect,  for  the  nature  of  secret  societies,  as  false  relig- 
ions, is  not  yet  fully  understood. 

By  a  secret  society  was  formerly  meant  a  society  which 
was  known  to  exist,  but  whose  members  and  places  of 
meetings  were  not  publicly  known.  Today  we  under- 
stand it  to  be  a  society  with  secrets,  having 
a  ritual  demanding  an  oath  of  allegiance  and  secrecy, 
prescribing  ceremonies  of  a  religious  character,  such  as 
the  use  of  the  Bible,  either  by  extracts  therefrom,  or  by 


12 

its  being  placed  on  an  altar  within  the  lodge-room,  the 
use  of  prayers,  of  hymns,  of  religious  signs  and  symbols, 
special  funeral  service,  etc. 

There  are  also  a  number  of  so-called  Patriotic  socie- 
ties, some  of  which,  like  the  Know-Xothings  and 
American  Protective  Association,  generally  called  A.  P. 
A.,  caused  quite  a  stir  for  a  time.  But  as  ignorance  and 
prejudice  disappear  in  proportion  as  Catholics  arc  better 
understood  nothing  need  be  said  about  these  societies. 

Members  of  secret  societies  are  not  ashamed  or  afraid 
to  avow  their  membership,  nay,  they  are  rather  proud  of 
it,  and  wear  their  badge  or  jewel  quite  ostentatiously. 
Xumerous  periodicals  are  published  to  advance  the  in- 
terests of  the  different  orders. 

During  the  latter  part  of  the  nineteenth  century 
activity  in  secret  societies  was  transferred  to  America, 
where  the  bent  seems  still  to  be  to  organize  new  secret 
societies,  legions,  circles,  unions  and  orders;  most  of 
them  designed  to  provide  maeiiinerv  for  collecting  as- 
-e>- rnent-  and  paying  them  over  to  those  whose  misfor- 
tune and  the  terms  of  their  contracts,  policies  or  certifi- 
cates make  them  the  recipients.  The  Cyclopaedia  of  Fra- 
ternities, published  by  Albert  Stevens  in  New  York,  in 
1809,  says  in  its  preface:  "..interesting  is  the  fact 
that  in  free  and  democratic  America  there  are  more 
secret  societies  and  a  larger  a  irg  regate  membership 
among  sneli  organizations  than  in  all  other  eixili/ed 
countries.  The  probable  extent  of  the  influence  of  secret 
society  life  may  be  inferred  from  the  fact  that  more 
than  six  millions  of  Americans  are  members  of  three 
hundred  organizations,  which  confer  about  one  thousand 
degrees  on  two  hundred  thousand  novices  annually,  aid- 
ed in  many  instances  by  a  wealth  of  paraphernalia  and 


13 

dramatic  ceremonial  which  rivals  modern  stage  effects. 
More  than  three  hundred  thousand  members  are  annu- 
ally added  to  the  roll  of  Masonic  lodges  in  the  United 
States:  quite  as  many  join  the  Odd-Fellows,  and  one- 
half  as  many  the  Knights  of  Pythias;  more  than  a  hun- 
dred thousand  join  other  secret  societies,  the  lodges, 
chapters  or  councils  of  which  dot  the  country  almost 
coincidently  with  the  erection  of  churches  and  school 
houses." 

According  to  ''The  El  CM  is  is  ol!  Chi  Omega,"  June  1, 
1900,  Fayetteville,  Arkansas,  there  were,  at  that  date,  in 
the  higher  institutions  of  learning  within  the  United 
States,  24  Greek  letter  societies  with  708  branches  for 
male  students,  and  eight  such  societies  with  120  branches 
for  female  students,  and  a  total  membership  of  142,450. 

That  these  so-called  College  societies  are  a  fruitful 
source  for  spreading  secret  society  principles  by  the 
graduates  when  they  return  to  their  respective  homes  is 
self-evident. 

Men  of  all  ranks  in  public  and  private  life  belong  to 
secret  societies.  The  character  of  many  of  these  people 
is  such  that  it  is  a  sufficient  proof  in  itself  that  the  final 
aim  and  object  of  these  societies  are  not  understood  by 
them. 

I  firmly  believe  that  the  majority  of  people 
who  belong  to  secret  societies  do  not  know  the  real 
character  and  tendencies  of  these  orders.  Most  men 
in  their  hearts  love  fair  play,  and  hundreds  of  thousands 
of  lodge  members  would  throw  off  their  allegiance  to 
their  lodge  did  they  understand  the  true  nature,  final 
aim  and  object  of  secret  societies. 

There  are  thousands  of  excellent,  moral  and  intellec- 
tual men,  devoid  of  all  prejudice,  who  join  these  secret 


societies  for  no  other  purpose  than  to  get  the  insurance, 
or  for  mere  social  and  political  purposes. 

But  surely  the  pursuit  of  these  objects  does  not  need 
any  sacred  rite,  traditions  and  ceremonies,  grip,  pass 
word,  symbolic  sign  or  oath. 

Can  it  be  otherwise  to  human  nature  than  that  all 
these  things  will  have  an  influence  on" belief  and  will? 
Again  and  again  do  the  higher  officials  call  attention 
to  the  strict  observance  of  the  ceremonial  part  of  the 
lodge  work. 

All  these  rites  and  ceremonies  have  a  deep,  very  deep, 
religious  meaning  and  are  based  on  old  and  new  pagan- 
ism and  naturalism. 

The  Constitution  of  the  United  States  guarantees  ev- 
ery citizen  his  liberty.  We  can  worship  God  according 
to  the  dictates  of  our  conscience.  We  have  our  free- 
dom of  going  and  coming  as  we  please,  we  have  a  right 
to  vote  as  we*please,  we  have  our  civil  rights  equal  for 
all.  There  is  no  difference  between  rich  and  poor  before 
the  law.  The  law  protects  our  property,  we  can  meet 
when  and  where  we  please  to  confer  on  public  or  pri- 
vate enterprises.  We  have  universities,  colleges,  high 
schools  and  other  schools  in  which  to  gain  an  education. 
Periodicals,  reviews  and  newspapers  of  all  kinds  are  in 
abundance  to  give  us  all  desired  information.  There  are 
opportunities  on  every  hand  for  acquiring  knowledge 
and  literary  culture.  Secret  societies  are  not  needed  to 
secure  any  of  these  results.  These  results  may  be  helped 
but  more  frequently  they  are  hindered  by  secret  socie- 
ties. There  are  thousands  of  ways  and  means  of  inno- 
cent amusement  and  cordial  sociality  without  the  aid  of 
secret  societies.  Even  the  object  sought  by  so-called 
Temperance  societies  can  be  gained  far  more  effectively 


15 

outside  of  these  societies.     \Yc  can  do  our  duty  to  God 
and  our  fellowmen  without  secret  societies. 

The  founders  and  framers  of  these  societies  are  chiefly 
responsible  for  their  objectionable  character  and  points. 
The  great  mass  of  the  common  members  have  had  no 
hand  in  making  them  what  they  are.  They  have  sim- 
ply organized  lodges  on  the  foundation  laid  by  others. 
They  are  to  blame,  however,  in  proportion  as  they  have 
neglected  to  examine  the  principles  upon  which  the  or- 
der is  based,  and  thus  fail  to  know  what  the  order  is, 
or  they  willfully  and  knowingly  endorse  these  principles. 
Most  of  the  new  orders  have  their  beginning  thus: 
This  or  that  member  of  an  existing  lodge  becomes 
dissatisfied  with  the  management  of  the  lodge,  or  his 
ambition  is  not  satisfied,  he  may  not  be  allowed  to  con- 
trol the  lodge,  is  displeased,  and  as  a  final  result  starts  a 
new  lodge  or  order.  Of  course  the  institution  must 
be  new,  it  must  differ  in  some  points  from  the  old  or- 
der; and  so  the  whole  realm  of  ancient  and  modern 
history,  both  profane  and  sacred,  is  ransacked  to  find 
something  suitable.  The  discoveries  during  the  last  fifty 
years  in  the  literature  of  the  Indies,  China,  Japan, 
Egypt,  Assyria,  Babylon,  Old  Mexico,  etc.,  furnish  am- 
ple material  for  the  purpose.  Within  the  last  fifty  years 
the  Sanscrit  language  has  become  a  source  of  informa- 
tion about  the  people  of  ancient  China  and  India. 
Egyptologists  have  made  us  acquainted  with  ancient 
Egypt,  and  Chaldean  investigators  have  found  stores  of 
knowledge  in  Babylonian,  bricks. 


CHAPTER  TT. 

DANGER  TO  TI1K  STATE. 

The  United  States  is  formed  on  Christian  princi- 
ples and  the  union  was,  in  the  mind  of  the  framers,  to 
be  a  Christian  nation  of  Christian  people  and  not  a 
nation  of  heathens. 

Today  the  spread  of  irreligion  and  forgetfulness  of 
(•od-and  a  future  life  is  far  wider  than  is  generally  im- 
agined. The  non-religious  principle  has  corrupted  the 
masses  of  the  American  people,  has  advanced  unchecked 
until  now  a  point  is  reached  that  may  well, excite  the 
apprehension  of  all  Christians.  Four-sevenths  of  our 
fellow-citizens  in  the  United  States  profess  no  religion 
at  all.  These  people  are  honest  and  outspoken,  kind- 
hearted  and  amiable,  it  may  be,  but  know  absolutely 
nothing  of  a  religion  that  is  supernatural  in  its  teach- 
ings, are  in  no  way  occupied  with  the  destination  of  the 
soul,  living  as  it  were  certain  that  man  had  nothing  more 
to  expect  beyond  time  and  the  grave  than  the  brute. 

Then  there  are  those  whose  practical  god  is  Mammon. 
Such  people,  perhaps,  call  themselves  Christians  be- 
cause it  would  be  unfashionable  to  be  called  a  heathen  or 
an  infidel.  But  surely  they  are  not  Christians,  for  no 
.one  can  be  called  a  Christian  who  can  not  say  the  Apos- 
tles' Creed  with  firm  belief. 

The  disappearance  of  the  spirit  of  Christianity  from 
the  great  currents  of  our  national  life  may  be  traced  to 
secret  societies.  Their  underlying  principle  is  to  trans- 


IT 

fer  religion  from  a  supc-i  until  rid  to  a  natural  basis,  from 
a  theological  to  a  human  creed,  to  extinguish  the  Divine 
Providence  in  the  government  of  the  human  race,  and 
to  govern  man  by  the  principles  of  humanitarianism, 
materialism  and  naturalism. 

The  baneful  influence  of  the  secret  societies  in  the 
United  States  is  so  discernible  that  "he  who  runs  may 
read." 

Take  most  of  our  public  men  and  the  present  state 
of  our  social  order.  The  judiciary  department  in  our 
Government  is  composed  of  the  most  intelligent  body  of 
men  in  the  land. 

These  judges  have  been  educated  in  their  youth,  and 
afterwards  by  self-education,  to  know  all  about  the  law 
between  man  and  man,  nation  and  nation,  between  mine 
and  thine,  and  the  natural  law,  but  the  Divine  law  found 
no  place  in  their  curriculum  or  line  of  studies. 

Their  professors  expounded  to  them  the  law  of  Lycur- 
gus,  of  Justinian,  the  codex  of  iSTapoleon;  the  common 
law  according  to  Beaconsiield  and  the  law  as  explained 
by  the  ablest  men  in  the  land,  but  the  Law,  as  given  on 
Mount  Sinai,  was  ignored. 

The  thousands  of  lawyers  in  our  courts  were  taught  all 
about  the  law,  like  the  judges,  and  whatever  is  necessary 
to  protect  their  clients,  but  the  Sermon  on  the  Mount  was 
never  taught  them  from  the  academic  chair.  Our  doctors 
of  medicine,  those  benefactors  to  mankind,  are  to  know 
all  about  the  body  and  its  many  organs,  their  operations 
and  susceptibilities,  but  a  soul  never  came  under  their 
dissecting  knife,  and  so  they  arc  supposed  to  know  noth- 
ing about  the  more  important  part  of  man.  In  all  our 
instructions  given  in  the  public  schools  of  whatever 
grade,  from  the  humblest  district  school  in  a  Western 


18 

prairie  or  Virginian  Mcgn>  settlement  up  to  the  uni- 
versities endowed  by  the  Government,  the  super- 
natural is  ignored.  Thus,  thos£  of  our  public  men, 
educated  in  these  abodes  of  learning,  had  the  great  dis- 
advantage that  whatever  little  religious  training  they 
have  was  obtained  at  home  or  in  the  Sunday-school. 
The  majority  of  the  parents  of  these  men  had  neither 
time  nor  the  inclination  or  knowledge  to  bother  much 
about  the  religious  part  of  their  children's  education, 
and  the  lesson  learned  on  one  Sunday  was  as  a  rule  for- 
gotten before  the  next  Sunday  came.  Most  of  our 
judges,  senators,  members  of  congress,  governors  of 
states,  legislators,  lawyers,  professors  in  higher  educa- 
tional establishments,  in  reality  most  of  our  public  men, 
are  members  of  one  or  more  lodges.  Even  prominent 
divines  among  the  Episcopalian  and  other  Protestant 
denominations  have  not  hesitated  "to  ride  the  goat"  and 
be  admitted  into  the  fraternity. 

Now,  a  man  may  change  his  religious  views,  of  what- 
ever character  they  may  be,  but  for  the  time  being  he 
will  act  in  private  or  public  life  guided  partly  by  his  re- 
ligion. No  public  officer  can  wholly  separate  himself 
from  religious  influence,  especially  if  he  holds  his  pub- 
lic office  by  the  patronage  of  religious  sects — and  secret 
societies  are  religious  sects. 

George  Washington  in  his  Farewell  Address  to  the 
American  neople,  in  September,  1796,  uses  the  follow- 
ing words : 

"All  obstructions  to  the  execution  of  the  laws,  all  com- 
binations and  associations,  under  whatever  plausible 
character,  with  the  real  design  to  direct,  control,  coun- 
teract, or  awe,  the  regular  deliberations  and  actions  of 
the  constituted  authorities,  are  destructive  of  this  fun- 


19 

damental  principle,  and  of  fatal  tendency.  They  serve 
to  organize  faction ;  to  give  it  an  artificial  and  extraor- 
dinary force;  to  put  in  the  place' of  the  delegated  will 
of  the  nation,  the  will  of  the  party,  often  a  small  but 
artful  and  enterprising  minority  of  the  community;  and 
according  to  the  alternate  triumphs  of  different  parties, 
to  make  the  public  administration  the  mirror  of  the 
ill-concerted  and  incongruous  projects  of  faction  rather 
than  the  organ  of  consistent  and  wholesome  plans,  di- 
gested by  common  councils,  and  modified  by  mutual  in- 
terests. 

"However  combinations  or  association  of  the  above 
description  may  now  and  then  answer  popular  ends,  they 
are  likely  in  the  course  of  time  and  things  to  become 
potent  engines,  by  which  cunning,  ambitious,  and  un- 
principled men  will  be  enabled  to  subvert  the  power  of 
the  people,  and  to  usurp  for  themselves  the  reins  of  gov- 
ernment; destroying  afterwards  the  very  engines  which 
have  lifted  them  to  unjust  dominion." 

Josiah  Quincy  once  said:  "The  liberty  of  a  people 
is  never  more  certainly  in  the  path  of  destruction  than 
when  they  trust  themselves  to  the  guidance  of  secret 
societies.  Birds  of  the  night  are  never  birds  of  wisdom. 
*  *  *  the  fate  of  a  republic  is  sealed  when  the  bats 
take  the  iead  of  the  eagle." 

The  Catholic  Church  does  not,  and  can  not,  allow  her 
children  to  belong  to  secret  societies.  There  is  no  ques- 
tion where  she  stands  on  the  matter;  she  has  the  cour- 
age of  her  conviction.  She  can  not  make  a  truce  with 
secret  societies,  hold  no  parley  with  them.  She  can  not 
be  frightened  into  silence  nor  cajoled  into  a  compromise ; 
her  attitude  is  unrelenting.  Her  mission  is  to  lay  down 
the  principles  of  salvation,  to  point  out  the  road  to 


20 

heaven,  to  condemn  error,  and,  when  need  be,  to  expel 
from  her  bosom  obstinate  unbelieving  children.  She  is 
the  friend  and  the  wisest  supporter  of  our  republic. 
She  wishes  her  children  to  be  free  men,  and  by  her  very 
principle  tends  to  sustain,  invigorate  and  perfect  tin- 
American  form  of  government.  The  strong  and  un- 
compromising standpoint  of  the  Church  on  this  question 
has  a  most  potent  and  purifying  influence  on  civil  so- 
ciety. 


CHAPTER  I II. 

FREEMASONRY  AND  THE  CHURCH. 

The  two  most  effectively  organized  bodies  of  men  in 
the  world  to-day  are  the  Catholic  Church  and  Free- 
masonry. Both  have  a  supreme  head  or  ruler,  whose 
rule  is  law  for  all  subordinates.  An  edict  issued  by  the 
head  of  the  Church,  the  Pope  of  Rome,  finds  its  way 
io  the  Catholic  member,  the  highest  as  well  as  the  poor- 
est, wherever  dispersed  on  the  face  of  the  globe.  Just 
so  does  an  order  emanating  from  the  head  of  Masonry 
reaeh  every  member  of  that  organization  on  earth.  The 
Church  has  effective  moral  means  and  spiritual  Aveapons 
to  secure  observance  of  its  mandates.  Masonry  has  more 
effective  material  weapons  and  means  with  which  to 
secure  obedienrj-. 

Each  trying  to  rule  the  intellectual  and  moral  life  of 
the  human  race,  an  antagonism  of  life  and  death  must 
necessarily  exist  between  the  two. 

The  great  commission  or  charter  of  the  church  is  given 
in  these  words  of  our  Lord:  '"'Go  ye,  therefore,  and 
teach  all  nations.  *  *  *  *  teaching  them  to  observe 
all  things  whatsoever  I  have  commanded  you,  and  be- 
hold I  am  with  vou  all  days,  even  to  the  consummation 
of  the  world."  (Matt,  xxviii,  19,  20.) 

According  to  Cardinal  Manning,  the  Vatican  Council, 
pp.  65,  66,  there  are  five  points  contained  in  the  above 
words : 

"1st. — The  perpetuity  and  universality  of  the  mission 
of  the  Church  as  the  teacher  of  mankind. 


22 

"2d.— The  deposit  of  the  Truth  and  of  the  Com- 
mandments, that  is,  of  the  Divine  Faith  and  Law  en- 
trusted to  the  Church. 

"3d. — The  office  of  the  Church,  as  the  sole  interpreter 
of  the  Faith  and  of  the  Law. 

"4th. — That  it  has  the  sole  Divine  jurisdiction  upon 
earth,  in  matters  of  salvation,  over  the  reason  and  the 
will  of  men. 

"5th. — That  in  the  discharge  of  this  office  our  Lord  is 
with  His  Church  always,  and  to  the  consummation  of 
the  world. 

"The  doctrine  of  faith  and  the  doctrine  of  morals  are 
here  explicitly  described.  The  Church  is  infallible  in 
this  deposit  of  revelation.  And  in  this  deposit  are 
truths  and  morals  both  of  the  natural  and  supernatural 
order;  for  the  religious  truths  and  morals  of  the  natural 
order  are  taken  up  into  the  revelation  of  the  order  of 
grace,  and  form  a  part  of  the  object  of  infallibility. 

"The  phrase  then  'Faith  and  Morals/  signifies  the 
whole  revelation  of  faith;  the  whole  way  of  salvation 
through  faith ;  or  the  whole  supernatural  order,  with  all 
that  is  essential  to  the  sanctification  and  salvation  of 
man  through  Jesus  Christ." 

It  is  the  will  of  God,  that  no  one  should  be  saved 
unless  through  Jesus  Christ;  that  is,  through  faith  in 
His  doctrine,  through  hope  in  His  merits,  through  char- 
ity toward  God  and  all  men,  through  the  sacraments 
and  prayers,  as  means  of  grace,  and  through  obedience 
to  His  orders.  In  order  to  maintain  the  divine  truths 
which  Christ  has  taught  mankind  in  their  entire  purity, 
and  to  secure  them  from  all  change  and  distortion,  He 
has  established  in  His  holy  Church  the  office  of  infalli- 
ble teaching,  and  has  promised  to  it  and  given  to  it  His 


23 

protection  and  the  assistance  of  the  Holy  Ghost  for  all 
time.  As  He  sent  the  Apostles  whom  He  had  chosen 
Himself  from  the  world,  as  He  Himself  had  been  sent 
by  the  Father,  so  He  willed  that  there  should  ever  be 
pastors  and  teachers  in  His  Church  to  the  end  of  the 
world. 

Leo  XIII.  in  his  letter  of  November  1st,  1900,  says: 
•'By  the  ministry  of  the  Church,  so  gloriously  founded 
by  Him,  He  willed  to  perpetuate  the  office  assigned  to 
Him  by  the  Father,  and  having  on  the  one  hand  con- 
ferred upon  her  all  effectual  aids  for  human  salvation, 
He  ordained  with  the  utmost  emphasis  on  the  other,  that 
man  should  be  subject  to  her  as  to  Himself,  and  zealously 
follow  her  guidance  in  every  department  of  life:  'He 
that  heareth  you  heareth  Me;  and  he  that  despiseth  you 
(lespiseth  Me.'  So  the  law  of  Christ  is  always  to  be 
sought  from  the  Church,  and,  therefore,  as  Christ  is 
for  man  the  way,  so  likewise  is  the  Church  the  way,  He 
in  Himself  and  by  His  proper  nature,  she  by  commis- 
sion and  by  a  share  in  His  power.  On  this  account  those 
who  would  strive  for  salvation  apart  from  the  Church, 
Avander  from  the  way  and  strive  in  vain." 

Man  being  wholly  dependent  upon  God,  as  upon  our 
Creator  and  Lord,  and  created  reason  being  absolutely 
subject  to  uncreated  truth,  we  are  bound  to  yield  to  God, 
by  faith  in  His  revelation,  the  full  obedience  of  our  in- 
telligence and  will.  And  the  Catholic  Church  teaches 
that  this  faith,  which  is  the  beginning  of  man's  salva- 
tion, is  a  supernatural  virtue,  whereby,  inspired  and 
assisted  by  the  grace  of  God,  we  believe  that  the  things 
which  He  has  revealed  are  true ;  not  because  of  the  in- 
trinsic truth  of  the  things,  viewed  by  the  natural  light 
of  reason,  but  because  of  the  authority  of  God  Him- 


24 

self  who  reveals  them.,  and  Who  can  neither  deceive  nor 
be  deceived. 

Freemasonry,  on  the  other  hand,  denies  the  super- 
natural, the  revealed  Word  of  God;  the  fall  of  the 
human  race  in  Adam  and  Eve,  and,  as  a  consequence,  the 
\vhole  mystery  of  Redemption,  the  Incarnation  and  Di- 
vinity of  Jesus  Christ,  His  establishing  a  Church  and 
teaching  a  religion  differing  from  what  up  to  His  time 
had  been  taught.  All  the  Masonic  teachings  are  based 
on  the  natural  order  and  the  supernatural  is  carefully 
excluded.  Hence  the  use  of  natural  means  to  obtain  the 
end  of  man.  Naturalism  is  their  teaching  called,  because 
nature  is  good,  so  they  say,  and  whatever  is  natural  is 
just  and  right,  and  there-  is  no  such  thing  as  sin  in  the 
sense  of  the  Church.  Masonry,  according  to  its  votaries, 
is  a  universal  system,  and  teaches  the  relative  and  social 
duties  of  man  on  the  broad  and  extensive  basis  of  philan- 
thropy. 

What  the  head  of  the  Church  thinks  about  Masonry 
is  expressed  jn  the  Encyclical  of  Leo  XIII.,  dated  April 
20,  1884,  called  "Humanum  Genus,"  and  published  in 
this  book.  For  the  present  chapter  the  following  is  to 
the  point :  "At  this  period  *  *  *  the  partisans  of 
evil  seem  to  be  combining  together  and  to  be  struggling 
with  united  vehemence,  led  on  or  assisted  by  that  strong- 
ly organized  and  widespread  association  called  the  Free- 
ni:!H>iis.  TsTo  longer  making  any  secret  of  their  purposes, 
they  arc  now  boldly  rising  up  against  God  Himself. 
They  are  planning  the  destruction  of  Holy  Church  pub- 
licly and  openly;  and  this  with  the  set  purpose  of  utterly 
despoiling  the  nations  of  Christendom,  if  it  were  possi- 
ble, of  the  blessings  obtained  for  us  through  Jesus  Christ 
our  Saviour.  *  *  *  As  soon  as  the  constitution  and 


the  spirit  of  the  Masonic  sect  \\ii6  clearly  discovered  by 
manifest  signs  of  its  actions,  by  cases  investigated,  by 
the  publications  of  its  laws,  and  of  its  rites  and  ceremo- 
nies, with  the  addition  often  of  the  personal  testimony 
of  those  who  were  in  the  secret,  this  Apostolic  See  has 
denounced  the  sect  of  the  Freemasons  and  publicly  de- 
clared its  constitution  as  contrary  to  law  and  right;  to 
be  pernicious  no  less  to  Christianity  than  to  the  State; 
and  it  forbade  anyone  to  enter  the  society  under  the 
penalties  which,  the  Church  is  wont  to  inflict  upon  excep- 
tionally guilty  persons.'" 

Albert  Pike,  for  many  years  head  of  Freemasonry, 
in  his  book  "Morals  and  Dogma  of  the  Ancient  and  Ac- 
cepted Scottish  Rite  of  Freemasonry,  published  at 
Charleston  A.  M.  5041"  (copyrighted  1871),  has  this  to 
say  about  the  Order: 

Page  11 — "The  Bible  is  an  indispensable  part  of  the 
furniture  of  a  Christian  Lodge,  only  because  it  is  the 
sacred  book  of  the  Christian  religion.  The  Hebrew 
Pentateuch  in  the  Hebrew  Lodge,  and  the  Koran  in  a 
Mohammedan  one,  belong  to  the  Altar:  and  one  of  these, 
and  the  Square  and  Compass,  properly  understood,  are 
the  Great  Lights  by  which  a  Mason  must  walk  and 
work" 

Page  17 — "The  Holy  Scriptures  are  an  entirely  mod- 
ern addition  to  the  symbol.  *  *" 

Page  38 — "Catholicism  was  a  vital  truth  in  its  earliest 
ages,  but  it  became  obsolete  and  Protestantism  arose, 
flourished  and  deteriorated.  The  doctrines  of  Zoroaster 
were  the  best  which  the  ancient  Persians  were  fitted  to 
receive:  those  of  Confucius  were  fitted  for  the  Chinese, 
those  of  Mohammed  for  the  idolatrous  Arabs  of  his  age. 


P^ach  was  a  Truth  for  the  time ;  each  a  Gospel  preached 
by  a  Reformer." 

Page  74 — "The  Church  of  Rome  claimed  despotism 
over  the  soul  and  over  the  whole  life  from  the  cradle  to 
the  grave.  It  gave  and  sold  absolution  for  past  and 
future  sins.  *  *  *  It  decimated  Europe  to  purge  it 
of  heresies.  It  decimated  America  to  convert  the  Mexi- 
cans and  Peruvians.  *  "  *  *  Masonry  alone  preaches 
Toleration,  the  right  of  man  to  abide  by  his  own  faith." 

Page  93 — "We  do  not  see  the  Churches  and  Priest- 
hoods of  Christendom  relinquishing  their  old  task  of 
governing  man  by  imaginary  terrorism." 

Page  104 — "Masonry,  like  all  the  Religions,  all  the 
Mysteries,  Hermetieism.  and  Alchemy,  conceals  the 
truths  from  all  except  the  Adepts  and  Sages,  or  the1  Elect, 
and  uses  false  explanations  and  misrepresentations  of 
its  symbols  to  mislead  those  who  deserve  only  to  be  mis- 
led; to  conceal  the  Truth,  which  it  calls  Light,  from 
them,  and  to  draw  them  away  from  it.  Truth  is  not  for 
those  who  are  unworthy  or  unable  to  receive  it,  or  would 
pervert  it.  *  *  *  Every  age  has  had  a  religion 
suited  to  its  capacity." 

Page  139 — "Masonry  does  not  occupy  itself  with  cry- 
ing down  thig  world  *  *  *  nor  exhort  us  to  detach 
our  hearts  from  this  earthly  life,  as  empty,  fleeting  and 
unworthy,  and  fix  them  upon  heaven,  as  the  only  sphere 
deserving  the  love  of  the  loving,  or  the  meditation  of  the 
wise.  *  *  He  (man)  is  sent  into  the  world,  not 
to  be  constantly  hankering  after,  dreaming  of,  preparing 
for  another.  *  *  *  The  law  of  our  being  is  love  of 
Life,  and  its  interests  and  adornments;  love  of  the 
world  in  which  our  lot  is  cast,  engrossment  with  the  in- 
terests and  affections  of  the  earth." 


27 

Page  213 — "Every  Masonic  Lodge  is  a  temple  of  re- 
ligion; and  its  teachings  are  instruction  in  religion." 

Page  218 — "Masonry  does  not  inculcate  her  truths; 
she  states  them,  once  and  briefly,  or  hints  them  perhaps 
darkly:  or  interposes  a  cloud  between  them  and:  eyes 
that  would  be  dazzled  by  them." 

Page  231 — "The  Mason  does  not  war  with  his  own 
instincts,  macerate  the  body  into  weakness  and  disorder, 
and  disparage  what  he  sees  to  be  beautiful,  knows  to  be 
wonderful,  and  feels  to  be  unspeakably  dear  and  fasci- 
nating. He  does  not  put  aside  the  nature  which  God 
has  given  him,  to  struggle  after  one  which  He  has  not 
bestowed.  He  knows  that  man  is  sent  into  the  world, 
not  a  spiritual  but  a  composite  being,  made  up  of  body 
and  mind,  the  body  having,  as  is  fit  and  needful  in  a 
material  world,  its  full,  rightful  and  allotted  share.  His 
life  is  guided  by  a  full  recognition  of  this  fact..  ." 

Page  525 — ''To  every  Mason,  Wisdom  or  Intelligence, 
Force  or  Strength,  and  Harmony  or  Fitness  and  Beauty, 
are  the  Trinity  of  the  Attributes  of  God.  *  *  *  Ma- 
sonry reverences  all  the  great  Reformers.  It  sees  in 
Moses,  the  Lawgiver  of  the  Jews,  in  Confucius  and  Zoro- 
aster, in  Jesus  of  Nazareth,  and  in  the  Arabian  Icono- 
clast, great  teachers  of  morality  and  eminent  reform- 
ers. *  *  *  Masonry  is  a  worship ;  but  one  in  which 
all  civilized  men  can  unite.  *  * 

Page  538 — '"'Question :  What  are  the  symbols  of  the 
purification  necessary  to  make  us  perfect  Masons  ?" 

Answer :  "Lavation  with  pure  water,  or  baptism,  be- 
cause to  cleanse  the  body  is  emblematical  of  purifying 
the  soul;  and  because  it  conduces  to  the  bodily  health, 
and  virtue  is  the  health  of  the  soul,  as  sin  and  vice  are 
its  malady  and  sickness :  unction,  or  anointing  with 


•  28 

oil;  because  thereby  we  are  set  apart  and  dedicated  to  the 
service  and  priesthood  of  the  Beautiful,  the  True  and 
the  Good :  and  robes  of  white,  emblems  of  candor, 
purity  and  truth." 

Question :  "What  is  to  us  the  chief  symbol  of  man's 
ultimate  redemption  and  regeneration?" 

Answer:  "The  fraternal  supper  of  bread  which 
nourishes,  and  of  wine  which  refreshes  and  exhilarates, 
symbolic-  of  the  time  which  is  to  come,  when  all  mankind 
shall  be  one  great  harmonious  brotherhood  *  * 
and  thus  in  the  bread  we  eat,  and  in  the  wine  we  drink 
tonight,  may  enter  into  and  form  part  of  us  the  identical 
particles  of  matter  that  once  formed  part  of  the  material 
bodies  called  Moses,  Confucius,  Plato,  Socrates,  or  Jesus 
of  ISTazareth.  *  * 

Page  575 — "Behold  the  true  Masonic  Trinity;  the 
Universal  Soul,  the  Thought  in  the  Soul,  the  Word,  or 
Thought  expressed;  the  Three  in  One,  of  a  Trinitarian 
Ecosais.  *  * 

Page  625 — Masonry  when  properly  expounded,  is  at 
once  the  interpretation  of  the  great  book  of  nature,  the 
recital  of  physical  and  astronomical  phenomena,  the 
purest  philosophy,  and  the  place  of  deposit,  where,  as  in 
a  treasury,  are  kept  in  safety  all  the  great  truths  of  the 
primitive  revelation,  that  form  the  basis  of  all  relig- 
ions. *  * 

Page  718 — "Masonry  propagates  no  creed  except  its 
own  most  simple  and  Sublime  One ;  that  universal  relig- 
ion, taught  by  Nature  and  by  Reason." 

Page  820 — "'Home,  more  intolerant  of  heresy  than  of 
vice  and  crime  *  *  *  has  always  deemed  philosophi- 
cal truth  the  most  dangerous  of  heresies,  and  has  never 


29 

been  at  loss  for  false  accusations,  by  means  of  which  to 
crush  free  thought.  *  * 

I  could  quote  much  more,  but  the  above  is  sufficient 
to  show  that  the  teaching  of  Masonry  ignores  Christ  en- 
tirely in  the  economy  of  salvation  and  that  a  person  can 
not  hold  the  doctrines  of  Christianity  and  Masonry  at 
the  same  time. 

In  his  letter  to  Cardinal  Gibbon  of  January  22d, 
3899,  Leo  XIII  says:  "Christ  is  the  Teacher -and  the 
Example  of  all  sanctity,  and  to  His  standard  must  all 
those  conform  who  wish  for  eternal  life." 

According  to  the  Cyclopaedia  of  Fraternities,  published 
by  A.  C.  Stevens,  Freemasonry  is  the  mother  of  all 
secret  societies  in  fact  as  well  as  in  name. 

MASONIC  BAPTISM. 

(Prom  the  Washington  Star,  April  30,  1872.) 

A    REMARKABLE    CEUEALOJSi  Y — CONSECRATION    TO    VIRTUE 
AND  TRUTH — THE  WARDS  OF  THE  LODGE. 

The  first  public  Masonic  baptism  of  children  which 
has  ever  taken  place  in  the  District.,  was  performed  last 
night  in  the  chapter  chamber,  Masonic  Temple,  in  the 
presence  of  a  large  number  of  Masons,  their  wives  and 
daughters.  The  children  were  an  infant  son  of  Dr.  Joseph 
W.  Nairn,  32d  degree,  and  a  son  of  Mr.  E.  B.  MacGrotty, 
18th  degree,  who  were  baptized  in  Mithras  Lodge  of 
Perfection,  Ancient  Scottish  Ilite,  which  is  the  Con- 
sistory of  this  Masonic  Jurisdiction.  The  rite  was  per- 
formed by  Thrice  Illustrious  P.  G.  M.  Albert  Pike,  as- 
sisted by  Illustrious  J.  0.  Sinclair,  S.  G.  W. ;  Illustrious 
L.  H.  Pike,  J.  G.  M.  W.;  C.  W.  Bennett,  Grand  Orator; 
W.  M.  Ireland,  Master  of  Ceremonies;  B.  F.  Hedrich, 


30 

Senior  Deacon;  C.  T.  Nutze,  Junior  Deacon; 
Rev.  Mr.  Harris,  Chaplain;  H.  J.  Martin,  Sec- 
retary: and  L.  Stoddard,  Tiler.  The  ceremony 
of  Masonic  baptism  has  always  been  celebrated  in  the 
Ancient  and  Accepted  Scottish  Order.  It  has  been  cen- 
sured by  many  as  an  irreverent  imitation  of  the  Chris- 
tian rite  of  baptism;  but  well-informed  Masons  know 
that  purification  by  washing  was  used  in  all  the  mysteries 
thousands  of  years  before  our  era.  After  the  assembly 
had  been  seated,  Grand  Master  Pike  gave  a  short  history 
of  the  ceremony,  saying  that  it  taught  neither  hatred, 
intolerance,  nor  revenge.  After  a.  voluntary  on  the  or- 
gan by  Bro.  Servoss,  a  rap  was  heard  at  the  door,  and 
information  given  that  two  children,  with  their  parents, 
desired  admission,  the  parents  praying  that  their  chil- 
dren might  be  baptized,  when  the  Master  directed  the 
Master  of  Ceremonies  and  his  aids  to  bring  the  children, 
their  parents  and  sponsors  in  the  Lodge.  Soon  after, 
the  Master  of  Ceremonies  returned,  followed  by  one  of 
his  assistants,  bearing  a  candlestick  with  three  lighted 
candles,  one  white,  one  black,  and  one  red,  forming  a 
triangle.  Following,  were  two  assistants,  one  carrying 
the  child  of  Dr.  Nairn,  "Robert  Brice  Nairn,  upon  a 
cushion  covered  with  light  blue  silk,  the  other  leading 
the  child  of  Mr.  MacGrotty,  Edwin  Albert  MacGrotty; 
and  behind  these  came  the  parents  of  the  children  and 
the  sponsors.  The  sponsors  for  the  son  of  Dr.  Nairn 
were  Dr.  J.  B.  Gibbs,  32d  degree,  and  Caroline  E.  Davis ; 
for  Master  MacGrotty,  Jerome  C.  Davis,  32  degree,  and 
Mrs.  M.  Walker.  After  the  third  circuit  of  the  room, 
the  procession  halted  and  the  candlestick  was  placed  be- 
fore the  altar,  and  the  children  returned  to  their  moth- 
ers, who,  with  the  sponsors,  took  their  seats  in  the  center 


31 

of  the  room.  The  Masonic  choir  then  sang  "My  Soul 
Doth  Magnify  the  Lord."  After  an  oration  by  the  Mas- 
ter, in  which  he  explained  the  duties  and  responsibili- 
ties which  the  Lodge  was  about  to  assume  in  conferring 
the  rite,  he  then  asked  the  fathers :  "Are  you  willing 
that  we  should  accept  these  duties  ?"  An  affirmative  re- 
sponse being  given,  the  Master  called  upon  the  Chaplain 
to  invoke  the  favor  and  assistance  of  God,  which  was 
done,  the  brethren  all  kneeling.  The  choir  then  sang 
ihe  ode,  "Rejoice,  Rejoice,  Fond  Mothers."  The  spon- 
sors then  took  seats  near  the  parents,  when  the  Master 
addressed  them  in  relation  to  the  duties  they  were  tak- 
ing upon  themselves.  After  an  invocation  to  the  Deity, 
and  music,  the  children,  parents  and  sponsors  were  then 
conducted  forward  to  the  altar,  on  which  water,  oil  and 
salt  were  placed.  The  Master  then  called  the  Lodge 
up,  descended  from  his  throne,  and,  after  a  few  words 
addressed  to  the  group,  lighted  the  incense  on  the  altar. 
After  a  chant  by  the  choir,  the  Master  took  the  children 
severally  in  his  arms,  dipped  their  left  hands  in  a  basin 
of  perfumed  water,  and  said :  "By  this  symbol  I  devote 
thee  (in  each  case)  to  the  service  of  virtue  and  truth. 
May  our  Father  who  is  in  Heaven  keep  thee  innocent 
and  pure  in  heart  all  the  days  of  thy  life."  During  this 
ceremony  the  choir  sang  an  appropriate  ode.  The  Mas- 
ter then  took  the  vessel  of  perfumed  oil,  dipped  the  little 
finger  of  his  right  hand  therein,  and  marked  with  it  a 
delta  on  the  foreheal  of  each  child,  saying :  "I  set  upon 
thy  forehead  the  symbol  of  wisdom,  power,  and  love  of 
God.  May  He  protect  and  guide  thee  in  right  courses 
all  the  days  of  thy  life;"  the  choir  singing,  meanwhile, 
the  chant,  "Blessed  are  the  TTndefiled  in  the  Way."  The 
Master  then  replaced  the  vessel  on  the  altar,  and  stretch- 


32 

ing  out  his  hands  toward  the  children,  invoked  a  blessing 
upon  them.  The  children  and  those  in  charge  of  them 
were  conducted  to  their  seats,  and  the  choir  sang  an  ap- 
propriate ode.  The  god-mothers  then  placed  them  at 
the  altar  of  obligation;  the  brethren  present  formed  a 
circle  around  them,  each  with  his  left  hand  on  his  heart 
and  his  right  hand  raised  towards  Heaven;  all  then 
kneeled  and  repeated,  after  the  Master,  the  solemn  vow 
to  protect  the  children  from  all  danger  and  temptation 
until  their  arrival  at  maturity.  After  rising,  the  Mas- 
ter, taking  the  vessel  of  salt  in  his  hand,  repeated  the 
Arab  vow  which  sanctifies  the  enemy  with  whom  he  has 
tasted  salt,  and  placing  a  portion  of  the  salt  on  his 
tongue,  said:  "With  this  salt  T  seal  my  vow."  The  ker- 
nel was  then  passed  to  each  brother,  who  in  turn  re- 
peated the  vow.  The  children  were  then  invested  with 
lamb-skin  aprons,  and  each  was  presented  with  a  Masonic 
jewel,  the  Master  saying:  "In  the  name  and  under 
ibe  auspices  of  the  Supreme  Council,  I  do  proclaim 
iboe  children  consecrated  to  the  service  of  truth  and 
virtue  by  Masonic  baptism  and  anointing,  after  the 
ancient  custom  of  Masonry,  to  be  wards  of  the  Mithras 
Lodge  of  Perfection.*'  This  was  repeated  in  turn  by 
the  Venerable  Grand  and  Senior  Wardens.  After  more 
music,  the  orator  delivered  a  brief  lecture,  after  which 
two  young  ladies,  in  conformity  with  a  law  of  the  Scot- 
tish  Rite,  passed  among  ibe  assembly  and  received  con- 
tributions from  all  who  chose  to  give;  the  same,  so 
collected,  to  be  given  by  the  Grand  Almoner  to  the  most 
needy  person  or  persons  known  to  him,  the  source  from 
which  it  comes,  in  persuance  of  inviolable  custom,  not 
to  be  made  known.  A  closing  chant  concluded  the  cere- 
monies. 


CHAPTER  IV.  ' 

THE  DEVIL. 

Since  the  principles  of  secret  societies  lead  to  the  de- 
struction of  Christ  and  His  Church,  were  such  possi- 
ble, Satan,  the  arch-enemy  of  Christ,  is  not  idle.  He  is 
today  the  same  that  he  was  in  paradise,  only  having 
benefited  by  the  experience  of  six  thousand  years  he  lays 
his  snares  and  traps  according  to  the  circumtance.  He 
is  the  devil  still.  But  as  Mr.  Guyau  (The  None-Re- 
ligion  of  the  Future,  page  165),  says  "*  *  *  *  in 
our  days,  belief  in  the  devil  is  incontestably  becoming 
feebler,  and  this  enfeeblement  is  even  especially  charac- 
teristic of  the  present  epoch;  there  has  at  no  other 
time  been  anything  to  equal  it.  There  is  not  an  educated 
person  to  be  found  in  whom  the  mention  of  a  devil  does 
not  excite  a  smile.  That,  believe  me,  is  a  sign  of  the 
times,  a  manifest  sign  of  the  decline  of  dogmatic  re- 
ligion. Wherever  the  power  of  dogmatic  religion,  by  an 
exception  to  the  general  course  of  things,  has  retained  its 
vitality,  and  retained  it,  as  in  America,  even  to  the  point 
of  given  birth  to  new  dogmas,  the  fear  of  the  devil  has 
subsisted  in  its  entirity.  wherever,  as  in  more  enlight- 
ened regions  than  America,  this  fear.no  longer  exists  ex- 
cept as  a  symbol  or  a  myth,  the  intensity  and  the  fecund- 
ity of  the  religious  sentiment  decline  inevitably  in  the 
same  degree.  The  fate  of  Javeh  is  bound  up  with  that  of 
Lucifer,  angels  and  devils  go  hand  in  hand,  as  in  some 
fantastic  mediaeval  dance.  The  day  when  Satan  and 


34 

his  followers  shall  be  definitely  vanquished  and  anni- 
hilated in  the  minds  of  the  people,  the  celestial  powers 
will  not  have  long  to  live.'' 

Says  0.  A.  Brownson  (Vol.  IX,  pp.  77,  78)  :  "*  *  * 
*  you  seem  not  to  have  reflected  that  the  devil,  when 
he  would  seduce,  can  disguise  himself  as  an  angel  of 
light.  Human  nature  is  terribly  corrupt,  and  yet  the 
great  mass  of  mankind  ordinarily  are  incapable  of  choos- 
ing evil,  for  the  reason  that  it  is  evil.  Evil  must  be 
presented  to  them  in  the  guise  of  good  or  they  will  not 
choose  it.  The  devil  knows  this,  and  knows  the  weak 
side  of  everyone,  and  he  adapts  his  temptations  accord- 
ingly. The  weak  side  of  our  age  is  morbid  sentimental- 
ity, a  sickly  philanthropy,  and  the  devil  tempts  us  now 
by  appealing  to  our  dominant  weakness.  He  comes  to 
us  a  philanthropist,  and  his  mouth  full  of  fine  senti- 
ments, and  he  proposes  only  Avhat  we  are  already  pre- 
pared to  approve.  Were  he  to  come  as  the  devil  in 
propria  persona,  and  tell  us  precisely  who  and  what  he 
is,  there  are  very  few  who  would  not  say,  'Get  behind 
me,  Satan.'  Nothing  better  serves  his  purpose  than  to 
have  us  deny  his  existence,  to  describe  his  influence  to 
imagination,  hallucination,  to  natural  causes  or  in- 
fluences, or,  in  fine,  to  good  spirits,  for  then  he  throws 
us  off  our  guard  and  can  operate  without  being  easily 
detected.  Never  was  an  age  more  under  his  influence 
than  our  own,  and  yet  they  who  pass  for  its  lights  and 
chiefs  have  reached  that  last  infirmity  of  unbelief,  the 
denial  of  the  existence  of  the  devil.  Possessed  persons 
are  insane,  epileptic,  or  lunatic  persons,  and  the  won- 
derful phenomena  they  exhibit  are  produced  by  an 
electric,  magnetic,  or  odic  fluid,  and  are  to  be  explained 
on  natural  principles,  and  such  as  can  not  be  so  ex- 


35 

plained,  are  boldly  denied,  however  well  attested,  or 
ascribed  to  jugglery,  knavery,  or  delusion.  The  mar- 
velous answers  of  the  ancient  oracles  are  ascribed  to 
knavery,  as  if  the  whole  world  had  lost  their  senses, 
and  could  not  detect  a  cheat  practised  before  their  very 
eyes,  and  so  bunglingly,  that  we  who  live  two  thousand 
years  or  three  thousand  years  after,  ignorant  of  all  the 
circumstances  in  the  case,  can  detect  it,  and  explain  how 
it  was  done,  without  the  slightest  difficulty.  The  devil 
laughs  at  it.  He  would  have  it  so." 

Instead  of,  as  St.  Peter  says:  "Satan  going  around 
like  a  roaring  lion  seeking  whom  he  may  devour,"  we 
may  say  that  his  satanic  majesty  goes  back  to  his  first 
tempting  method  and  serpent-like  injects  his  venom  in 
the  minds  of  men,  and  that  even  hell  was  let  loose  to  do 
such  a  kind  of  work.  Explain  the  secret  societies  with- 
out satanic  power!  It  is  impossible.  How  can  they 
have  such  a  hold  of  so  many  otherwise  well  meaning  per- 
sons except  by  satanic  influence? 

Christianity  asserts  the  existence  of  Satan  and  his  in- 
tervention in  human  affairs,  for  according  to  it  Christ 
was  revealed  from  heaven  and  came  into  this  world 
that  He  might  destroy  the  devil  and  his  works.  If  there 
was  no  devil,  the  mission  of  Christ  had  no  motive,  no 
object,  and  Christianity  would  be  a  fable.  *  *  *  The 
church  plainly  and  unequivocally  recognizes  the  exist- 
ence of  Satan,  as  may  be  gathered  from  the  prayers  and 
ceremonies  of  baptism,  as  well  as  from  the  significance 
of  the  sacrament  itself;  and  not  only  his  existence,  but 
his  power  over  the  natural  man,  and  even  material 
objects.  Thus,  when  the  Priest,  in  administering  the 
Sacrament  of  Baptism  breathes  gently  three  times  in  the 
face  of  the  child,  he  exclaims :  "Go  out  of  him  impure 


36 

spirit  and  give  place  to  the  Holy  Ghost."  The  candidate 
before  baptism  is  asked:  "Dost  thou  renounce  Satan 
*  *  *  and  all  his  works  *  *  *  and  all  his  pomps  ?" 
To  each  of  which  questions  the  reply  is  made :  "I  do." 
The  whole  proceeds  on  the  belief  that  Satan  has  power 
over  man  and  matter. 

The  difficulty  of  combating  the  satanic  spirit  in  se- 
cret societies  and  convincing  people  of  their  antichris- 
tian  principles  is  very  great.  The  most  of  the  people  are 
caught  by  words  without  taking  note  of  the  meaning  at- 
tached to  them. 

It  is  characteristic  of  this  age  that  infidelity  dis- 
guises itself  in  a  Chrsitian  garb  and  utters  its  falsehoods 
and  blasphemies  in  Christian  phraseology,  the  language 
of  truth.  Satan  disguises  himself  as  an  angel  of  light, 
comes  as  a  philanthropist,  talks  of  humanity,  professes 
to  be  a  champion  of  science,  intelligence,  education,  lib- 
erty, progress,  amelioration  and  the  moral,  intellectual 
and  physical  elevation  of  the  poorer  and  more  numerous 
classes,  all  good  things,  when  rightly  understood  and 
in  their  time  and  place. 

We  can  not  oppose  him  without  seeming  to  many  to 
oppose  what  is  Christian  duty.  If  we  oppose  false  in- 
telligence we  are  at  once  accused  of  being  opposed  to 
intelligence.  If  we  oppose  corrupt  and  baneful  educa- 
tion we  are  immediately  accused  of  being  in  favor  of 
popular  ignorance  and  lovers  of  darkness.  If  we  oppose 
false  liberty,  or  license  presented  under  the  name  of  lib- 
erty, we  are  charged  with  being  the  enemies  of  true 
freedom.  The  press  opens  its  cries  against  us  and  the 
age  votes  us  mediaeval  dreamers,  behind  the  times,  relics 
of  the  past,  with  our  eyes  on  the  backside  of  our  heads, 
outlandish,  etc.,  and  the  truth  is  drowned  in  the  floods 


37 

of  indignation;  or  ridicule  pours  out  against  us.  The 
world  to-day  is  just  as  inimical  to  Christ  as  it  ever  was, 
and  His  cause  is  fought  against  perhaps  more  than  ever 
before.  The  only  difference  is  that  the  weapons  have 
been  changed,  the  battle-field  transferred,  the  tactics  im- 
proved and  the  execution  greater.  The  enemy  deals  to- 
day with  far  more  subtle  weapons  than  ever  before. 
And  as  the  tie  that  binds  many  to  the  Church  is  weak  it 
is  easily  cut  asunder.  Even  to  many  so-called  Christians 
Christ  is  not  more  than  a  man,  and  it  has  been  argued, 
and  plausibly  so,  that  in  the  new  century,  the  day  of  ad- 
vancement along  all  lines,  the  Avorld  has  outgrown  Christ. 
Satan  still  offers  '"'the  kingdom  of  the  world  and  the 
glory  thereof"  in  barter  for  worship  paid  to  himself. 

Well  aware  of  the  satanic  power  Leo  XIII  called  on 
all  Priests  to  say  daily  after  Mass: 

''Holy  Michael,  Archangel,  defend  us  in  the  day  of 
battle:  be  our  safe-guard  against  the  wickedness  and 
snares  of  the  devil.  May  God  rebuke  him,  we  humbly 
pray;  and  do  thou,  Prince  of  the  heavenly  host,  by  the 
power  of  God,  thrust  down  to  hell  Satan  and  all  wicked 
spirits  who  wander  through  the  world  for  the  ruin  of 
souls.  Amen." 


CHAPTER  V. 

HERESIES. 

Perusal  of  the  different  rituals  of  secret  societies  will 
lead  to  the  conviction  that  these  societies  are  also  heret- 
ical, teaching  error.  "  B.eresies/'  says  0.  A.  Brownson 
(vol.  xix..  p.  223),  "originate  in  the  spirit  and  tendency 
of  their  epoch,  and  in  the  effort  to  develop  the  Church, 
and  carry  her,  in  her  doctrines  and  practice,  along  with 
them.  *  *  *  The  heresiarch  does  not  set  out  with  the  de- 
liberate intention  of  founding  a  heresy.  No  man  ever 
rises  up  and  with  deliberate  forethought,  says:  'Go  to, 
now,  let  us  devise  and  found  a  heresy.'  The  heresiarch  is 
the  man  of  his  times — of  not  for,  his  times — and  is  the 
one  who,  better  than  any  other,  embodies  or  impersonates 
their  dominant  ideas  and  sentiments.  He  begins  by  tak- 
ing his  standard  of  truth  from  the  ideas  and  sentiments 
which  he  finds  generally  received,  and  with  which  he  is 
filled  to  overflowing ;  these,  he  says,  are  true,  and  there- 
fore the  church,  if  true,  must  agree  with  them.  He  then 
proceeds  to  develop  the  Church,  to  explain  her  doctrine 
and  practice  in  their  sense  But  the  Church  cannot  accept 
his  explanations ;  she  condemns  them,  and  commands 
him  to  disavow  them;  but  he,  through  pride  and  obstin- 
acy, refuses,  goes  out  from  her  communion,  and  sets  up 
for  himself.  Here  is  the  history  and  rise  of  every  heresy. 
Study  any  age  or  nation,  and  you  will  find  its  peculiar 
heresy  to  have  originated  in  the  attempt  to  conform 
the  Church  to  its  determined  ideas  and  sentiments,  or  to 


39 

incorporate  them  into  her  teaching  and  practice.  This 
is  evident  from  the  history  of  Gnosticism,  Manichaeism, 
Arianism,  Protestantism,  or  any  other  heresy  you  may 
select." 

As  soon  as  the  truths  of  the  Gospel  were  carried  be- 
yond the  confines  of  Judea,  Samaria  and  Galilee,  by  the 
Apostles  and  their  successors,  those  false  teachers  against 
whom  Christ  had  warned  His  followers  arose.  Satan 
ever  watchful,  was  determined  to  wage  his  war  for  the 
preservation  of  his  kingdom.  Open  persecution  arose 
against  the  infant  Church,  but  subtle  means  were  also 
employed  to  deceive  the  people.  Several  persons  ap- 
peared from  time  to  time  claiming  to  be  the  promised 
Messiah.  Philo  the  Jew,  Apolonius  of  Tyana,  Simon 
Magus,  Cerinthus,  and  other  pretenders  to  the  Messiah- 
ship  during  the  first  centuries  of  the  Christian  era 
claimed  Pythagoras  as  their  principal  teacher.  Alex- 
andria, in  Egypt,  the  principal  seat  of  learning  at  the 
time,  had  as  teachers  in  its  schools  men  who  endeavored 
to  reconcile  the  teachings  of  Paganism,  Judaism  and 
Christianity,  just  as  it  was  done  at  the  Parliament  of 
Eeligions,  a  few  years  ago  in  Chicago.  All  the  heresies 
of  the  first  three  centuries  had  their  origion  in  this  so- 
called  Alexandrian  school.  This  school,  encouraged  by 
the  pagan  emperors  and  afterwards  especially  by  Julian 
the  Apostate,  in  order  to  destroy  the  influence  of  Christi- 
anity, attempted  a  fusion  of  all  particular  forms  of  Gen- 
tilism,  moulded  into  shape  as  nearly  like  Christianity 
as  might  be,  and  intended  to  dispute  with  it  the  empire 
of  the  world.  It  borrowed  largely  from  Christianity, 
copied  the  forms  of  its  hierarchy,  and  many  of  its  dog- 
mas. It  made  no  direct  war  on  Christianity  and  its 
followers ;  it  simply  denied  or  derided  the  source  whence 


40 

the  Christian  religion  was  obtained,  and  the  authority 
which  Christian  faith  always  presupposes.  It  called 
itself  "Philosophy/"''  and  its  pretention  was  to  raise 
philosophy  to  the  dignity  of  religion,  and  to  do  by  it 
what  Christianity  pVofesses  to  do  by  faith  and  an  exter- 
nal and  supernaturally  accredited  revelation.  Its  aim 
was  to  satisfy  the  ever-recurring  and  indestructible  re- 
ligious want  of  the  human  soul,  without  recognizing  the 
Christian  Church,  or  bowing  to  the  authority  of  the 
N^azarene.  It  proposed  itself  as  the  rival  rather  than  the 
antagonist  of  Christianity.  Space  does  not  permit  me  to 
show  how  the  Christian  Fathers  of  the  third,  fourth  and 
fifth  centuries  fought  against  and  defeated  these  teach- 
ings. 

The  movement  of  the  un-catholic  world  today,  how 
much  soever  it  may  borrow  from  Christianity,  however 
near  it  may  approach  the  catholic  model,  can  be  regarded 
by  those  who  understand  it  only  as  a  conscious  or  uncon- 
scious effort  to  reproduce  the  Gentile  rationalism  of  the 
old  Alexandrian  school.  The  principle  on  which  they 
proceed  is  precisely  the  Alexandrian.  To  them  all  re- 
ligions are  equally  true  or  equally  false — true  as  parts  of 
a  whole,  false  when  regarded  each  as  a  whole  in  itself. 
Take  then  the  several  religions  which  have  been  and  are, 
mould  them  into  a  complete,  uniform  and  systematic 
whole,  and  you  will  have  the  "Religion  of  the  Future/' 
In  perfect  harmony  with  this,  you  see  everywhere  at- 
tempts to  amalgamate  sects,  to  form  the  un-catholic 
world  into  one  body,  with  a  common  creed,  a  common 
worship  and  a  common  purpose.  The  aim  is  everywhere 
the  same  as  it  was  with  the  Alexandrians,  the  principles 
and  proceedings  are  the  same,  and  the  result,  if  obtained 
must  be  similar. 


41 

The  "Church  of  the  Future,"  which  is  now  to  be 
founded,  is  a  church,  to  be  scientific,  wherein  knowledge 
and  not  humility  is  taught;  penance  and  fasting  are  to 
be  done  away  with.  lake  Buddhism  it  is  to  teach  good- 
ness without  a  God,  existence  without  a  soul,  immortality 
without  life,  salvation  without  a  heaven,  redemption 
without  a  redeemer.  In  the  economy  of  salvation  Christ 
is  to  be  ignored.  We  are  gravely  told  that  there  is  no 
teaching  or  doctrine  taught  by  Christ  and  His  Apostles 
which  can  not  be  found  in  some  of  the  ancient  religions, 
when  divested  of  the  errors  therein  incorporated  with  it. 

We  must  admit  that  the  main  effort  of  this  age  of  un- 
believing .progress  is  to  trample  out  the  supernatural 
character  of  Jesus  Christ.  He  is  indeed  in  the  eyes  of  it 
one  of  the  most  distinguished  of  human  sages,  an  ad- 
mirable philosopher  and  a  great  moral  teacher.  It  will 
admit  that  "man  never  spoke  like  him/'  but  it  ridicules 
the  idea  that  He  was  "the  Word  made  flesh." 

A  morbid  craving  is  abroad  which  seeks  to  reproduce 
the  paganism  of  old.  Gentile  life  is  to  be  flavored  by 
the  spirit  of  false  worship,  the  passions  of  the  young, 
the  ambition  of  middle  life  and  the  avarice  of  old  age. 

Secret  societies  are  nurseries  for  this  movement.  In 
their  rituals  truth  and  error  have  been  artfully  co- 
mingled.  Their  teachings  are  varied  to  suit  all  men,  of 
all  creeds  or  of  no  creed.  If  you  have  religion  and  be- 
long to  a  Church,  all  right;  but  if  you  belong  to  no 
Church  and  have  no  religion  it  is  all  right  too,  because 
religion  is  a  personal  and  private  affair.  The  teachings 
and  maxims  of  the  Gospel  are  not  to  be  the  rule  of  life, 
and  from  the  lodge  and  not  from  the  Church  are  men 
to  learn  "their  duty  to  God,  to  their  fellow-men  and  to 
themselves."  Intentionally  or  unintentionally  do  the 


42 

lodges  dispose  a  man  to  believe  that  if  he  practices  the 
natural  virtues  of  honesty,  truthfulness,  sobriety,  philan- 
thropy, etc.,  then  he  is  all  that  a  man  ought  to  be;  and 
also  to  believe  that  a  man  can  practice  these  virtues  quite 
sufficiently  by  the  force  of  his  own  will,  that  he  does  not 
need  the  special  help  which  our  Lord  furnishes  through 
His  Church.  It  is  quite  clear  that  these  principles  will 
logically  have  the  effect  of  not  only  destroying  the  faith 
of .  Catholics,  but  also  all  Christian  faith  properly  so 
called. 

In  the  ritual  of  the  Knights  of  Pythias  we  read :  "The 
high  and  impassable  barrier  that  hitherto  separated  man 
from  his  fellow  men  is  broken  down.  All  sit  together  as 
brothers  in  harmony  and  love.  The  descendants  of 
Abraham  and  the  followers  of  the  Crescent  are  co- 
mingled  with  those  of  the  Cross  as  one  happy  family, 
knowing  no  diversity  of  creed  or  faith."  In  other  words : 
Jew,  Heathen,  Moslem,  Christian  and  Hottentot,  we  all 
believe  in  one  God.  Not  only  do  they  place  all  pro- 
fessedly Christian  sects  and  denominations — however 
widely  the  five  hundred  different  sects  may  differ  from 
one  another — on  the  same  broad  platform,  but  they  go 
still  further.  They  declare  that  Mumbo-Jumbo  of  the 
African  and  Gitchie  Manitou  of  the  American  Indian 
it  at  bottom  the  true  God,  as  much  as  the  Zeus  of  the 
Greeks,  Jupiter  of  the  Romans,  El  or  Bab-El  in  Babylon, 
Mitra  in  India,  Mythras  in  Persia,  Ashura  in  Assyria, 
Baal  in  Phoenicia,  and  either  of  these  as  much  as  Jeho- 
vah of  the  Jews,  or  God,  the  Father,  of  the  Christians. 

And  all  this  is  set  forth  in  language  and  terms  so 
smooth  and  plausible  "as  to  deceive  if  possible  even  the 
elect."  Thus  many  a  young  man,  with  more  benevolent 
feeling  than  actual  experience,  of  more  enthusiastic  zeal 


43 

than  practice  and  wisdom,  is  prone  to  be  led  into  these 
societies,  is  deceived  and  lost  to  the  Church. 

The  rites,  ceremonies  and  symbols  of  paganism  are 
used,  and  will  not  the  whole  fabric  of  doctrine  and  wor- 
ship of  paganism  grow  out  of  the  use?  The  seed  is 
dropped  into  society  and  what  shall  the  fruit  be?  The 
leaven  of  the  principles  of  naturalism  and  modern  pa- 
ganism is  given  a  chance  to  work  silently  and  freely — till 
the  whole  is  permeated.  As  I  said  in  a  former  publica- 
tion, the  twentieth  century  will  witness  the  conflict  be- 
tween Rome  and  Benares,  between  the  principles  of 
Christianity  and  Asiatic  Paganism.  Mohammedanism  in 
its  day  tried  to  extirpate  Oriental  idolatry,  but  it  failed. 
Christianity  has  not  only  to  destroy  both,  but  annihilate 
also,  modern  paganism. 


CHAPTER  VI. 

PYTHAGORAS. 

Many  Masonic  writers  consider  Pythagoras  as  "the 
grand-father"  of  Masonry.  In  many  lodges  he  is  intro- 
duced as  the 'teacher  to  the  candidate  and  many  signs 
and  symbols  are  taken  from  his  school.  He  was  the  son 
of  a  lapidary,  and  the  pupil  of  Pherecydes,  and  flour- 
ished about  five  hundred  years  before  Christ.  Posterity 
has  been  very  liberal  to  him  in  bestowing  upon  him  all 
such  inventions  as  others  had  neglected  to  claim,  par- 
ticularly in  music  and  mathematics ;  and  there  is  hardly 
any  part  of  science  with  which  his  followers  did  not  en- 
dow him.  Jamblichus  asserts  that  he  traveled  exten- 
sively through  Egypt,  India  and  Europe,  and  came  in 
contact  with  the  sages  of  those  countries.  Returning  to 
his  home,  Samos,  he  wished  to  communicate  the  bene- 
fit of  his  researches  to  his  fellow-citizens,  and  with  this 
view  he  established  a  school  for  their  instruction  in  the 
elements  of  science;  proposing  to  adopt  the  Egyptian 
mode  of  teaching,  and  to  communicate  his  doctrine 
under  a  symbolical  form.  But  the  Samoans  were  either 
too  stupid  or  too  indolent  to  profit  by  his  instructions. 
Although  he  was  obliged  to  relinquish  his  design,  he  did 
not  altogether  abandon  it.  In  order  to  engage  the  at- 
tention of  his  countrymen  by  some  other  means,  he  re- 
paired to  Delos;  and,  after  presenting  an  offering  of 
cakes  to  Apollo,  he  there  received,  or  pretended  to  re- 
ceive, moral  dogmas  from  the  priestess,  which  he  after- 


45 

wards  delivered  to  his  disciples  under  the  character  of 
divine  precepts.  About  the  beginning  of  the  fifty-ninth 
Olympiad  he  left  Greece  and  established  himself  at  Cro- 
tona  in  Italy.  In  order  to  obtain  credit  with  the  popu- 
lace he  pretended  to  have  the  power  of  performing 
miracles  and  practised  many  arts  of  imposture.  Clothed 
in  a  long  white  robe,  with  a  flowing  beard,  and,  as  some 
say  with  a  golden  crown  upon  his  head,  he  preserved 
among  the  people,  and  in  the  presence  of  his  disciples,  a 
commanding  gravity,  and  majesty  of  aspect.  He  had 
such  a  command  over  himself  that  he  was  never  seen  to 
express  in  his  countenance,  grief,  joy  or  anger.  The  in- 
fluence of  his  teaching,  to  which  he  gave  the  name  of 
philosophy,  extended  from  Crotona  to  many  other  places 
and  obtained  for  him  from  his  followers  a  degree  of 
respect  little  short  of  adoration.  By  his  artificial  de- 
meanor Pythagoras  appeared  among  the  vulgar  as  a 
being  of  an  order  superior  to  the  common  condition  of 
humanitj',  and  persuaded  them  that  he  had  received  his 
doctrine  from  heaven,  and  that  Appollo,  Minerva  and  the 
Muses  had  often  appeared  to  him  and  instructed  him. 
He  founded  a  secret  society  and  had  in  a  short  time  six 
hundred  members.  Previous  to  the  admission  of  any 
person  into  this  fraternity,  Pythagoras  examined  his 
features  and  external  appearance,  inquired  how  he  had 
been  accustomed  to  behave  towards  his  parents  and 
friends;  marked  his  manner  of  laughing,  conversing  and 
keeping  silence ;  and  observed  what  passion  he  was  most 
inclined  to  indulge ;  with  what  kind  of  company  he  chose 
to  associate;  how  he  passed  his  leisure  moments;  and 
what  incidents  appeared  to  excite  in  him  the  strongest 
emotions  of  joy  or  sorrow.  To  teach  his  disciples  hu- 
mility and  industry,  he  exposed  them  for  three  years  to 


46 

a  continued  course  of  contradictions,  ridicule  and  con- 
tempt, among  their  fellows.  That  they  might  acquire  a 
habit  of  entire  docility,  he  enjoined  upon  them,  from 
their  first  admission,  a  long  term  of  silence,  sometimes 
for  five  years.  Pythagoras  taught  after  the  Egyptian 
manner,  by  images  and  symbols,  obscure  and  almost 
unintelligible  to  those  who  were  not  initiated  into  the 
mysteries  of  the  school:  and  those  who  were  admitted  to 
this  privilege  were  under  the  strictest  obligation  of 
silence  with  regard  to  the  recondite  doctrines  of  their 
master.  That  the  wisdom  of  Pythagoras  might  not  pass 
into  the  ears  of  the  vulgar,  it  was  committed  chiefly  to 
memory;  and  when  they  found  it  necessary  to  make  use 
of  writing,  they  took  care  not  to  suffer  their  minutes  to 
pass  beyond  the  limits  of  the  school.  One  of  his  princi- 
ples was  that  not  everything  is  to  be  told  to  everybody, 
and  that  his  followers  ought  not  to  speak  but  when  re- 
quired to  do  so,  expressing  thereby  that  secrecy  is  the 
rarest  virtue.  Jamblicus  relates,  as  evidence  of  the 
brotherly  love  of  the  disciples  of  Pythagoras  and  their 
means  of  mutual  recognition,  the  following  incident :  "A 
Pythagorean,  traveling  in  a  distant  country,  fell  sick 
and  died  at  a  public  inn.  Previously  to  his  death,  how- 
ever, being  unable  to  compensate  the  landlord  for  his 
kindness  and  attention  with  which  he  had  been  treated, 
he  directed  a  tablet,  on  which  he  had  traced  some  enig- 
matical characters,  to  be  exposed  on  the  public  road. 
Some  time  after  another  disciple  of  Pythagoras  passed 
that  way,  preceived  the  tablet,  and  learning  from  the 
inscription  that  a  brother  had  been  there  sick  and  in  dis- 
tress, and  that  he  had  been  treated  with  kindness,  he 
stopped  and  reimbursed  the  innkeeper  for  his  trouble 
and  expense/'  Mathematics,  and  especially  geometry, 


47 

were  the  principle  studies  he  enjoined  upon  his  follow- 
ers, as  the  first  step  towards  wisdom.  The  sum  of  all 
the  principles  of  Pythagoras  is  this :  The  Monad  is  the 
principle  of  all  things.  From  the  Monad  came  the  in- 
determinate Duad,  as  matter  subjected  to  the  cause  of  the 
Monad:  from  the  Monad  and  the  indeterminate  Duad 
numbers,  points;  from  points  lines;  from  lines  super- 
ficies; from  superficies  solids;  from  these  solid  bodies 
whose  elements  are  four — Fire,  Water,  Air,  and  Earth — 
of  all  which  transmuted,  and  totally  changed,  the  World 
consists.' 

The  region  of  the  air  was  supposed  by  Pj^thagoras  to  be 
full  of  spirits,  demons  or  heroes,  who  cause  sickness  or 
health  to  man  or  beast,  and  communicate  by  means  of 
dreams  and  other  instruments  of  divination,  at  their 
pleasure,  the  knowledge  of  future  events.  He  professed 
to  cure  diseases  by  incantations,  and  taught  the  trans- 
migration of  souls.  It  is  related  of  him  that  on  one 
occasion  he  interceded  in  behalf  of  a  dog  that  was  beaten 
because  he  recognized  in  its  cries  the  voice  of  a  friend. 
After  his  death,  Pythagoras  was  held  in  great  esteem 
by  his  followers  and  especially  during  the  third  century 
of  our  era  was  held  up  by  the  Alexandrian  school  as  the 
equal  to  Christ. 

The  esoteric  or  secret  instruction  of  Pythagoras  were 
explained  with  the  aid  of  symbols,  as  the  readiest  and 
most  efficient  method  of  impressing  upon  the  mind  of 
the  candidate  for  the  mysteries  the  sublime  truths  and 
moral  lessons  for  which  the  school  of  that  justly  cele- 
brated philosopher  was  distingushed.  A  few  of  the  most 
imporant  symbols  are  here  explained.  The  Equilateral 
Triangle,  a  perfect  figure  was  adopted  among  the  ancient 
nations  as  a  symbol  of  Deity,  the  principal  and  author 


48 

of  all  sublunary  things ;  the  essence  of  Light  and  Truth, 
who  was,  and  is,  and  shall  be.     The  square  comprehends 


the  union  of  the  celestial  and  terrestrial  elements  of 
power;  and  was  the  emblem  of  morality  and  justice. 
The  Tetractys  was  a  sacred  emblem,  which  was  expressed 
by  ten  jots  disposed  in  the  form  of  a  triangle,  each  side 
containing  four.  This  was  the  most  expressive  symbol 
of  Pythagoras.  On  it  the  obligation  to  the  aspirant 
was  propounded;  and  it  was  denominated  the  Trigonon 
mysticum,  because  it  was  the  conservator  of  many  awful 
and  important  truths  which  are  explained  as  follows: 
The  one  point  represented  the  Monad,  or  active  princi- 
ple; the  two  points  the  Duad,  or  passive  principle;  the 
three  points  the  triad,  or  the  world  proceeding  from  their 


POINT    WITHIX   A   CIECLI.  DODICAHIOEO*. 


union ;  the  four,  the  Quarternary ,  or  the  liberal  sciences. 
The  Cube  was  the  symbol  of  the  mind  of  man,  after  a 
well  spent  life  in  acts  of  piety  and  devotion,  and  thus 
prepared  by  virtue  for  translation  into  the  society  of  the 
celestial  gods.  The  Point  zvithin  the  Circle  was  the  sym- 
bol of  the  universe.  The  use  of  this  emblem  is  coeval 
with  the  first  created  man — the  creation  was  the  circle 


49 

and  himself  the  center.*  The  Dodecahedron,  or  figure 
of  twelve  sides  was  also  a  symbol  of  the  universe.  The 
Triple  Triangle — a-  unity  of  perfectness — was  a  symbol 
of  health,  and  was  called  Hygeia.  The  Forty-seventh 
proposition  of  Euclid  was  invented  and  explained  by 
Pythagoras,  and  is  so  extensively  useful  that  it  has  been 
adopted  in  all  Lodges  as  a  significant  symbol  of  Free- 
masonry. The  letter  Y  was  a  symbolical  representation 
of  the  course  of  human  life.  Youth,  arriving  at  manhood, 
sees  two  roads  before  him,  and  deliberates  which  he  shall 
pursue.  If  he  meet  with  a  guide  that  directs  him  to 
pursue  philosophy,  and  he  procures  initiation,  his  life 
shall  be  honorable  and  his  death  happy.  But  if  he  omits 
to  do  this,  and  takes  the  left  hand  path,  which  appears 
broader  and  better,  it  will  lead  to  sloth  and  luxury ;  will 
waste  his  estate,  impair  his  health,  and  brings  on  an  old 
a  are  of  infamy  and  misery. 


*In  the  ages  of  idolatry  and  the  worship  of  Phallus  and  Llnga 
the  point  within  a  circle  bore  a  more  Immediate  relation  to  the  gen- 
erative principle  of  nature,  symbolized  by  the  union  of  the  sexes. 
Does  It  stand  for  any  other  symbol  In  the  lodge  rooms  of  to-day? 


CHAPTER  VII. 

LIFE  INSURANCE  IN  SECRET  SOCIETIES. 

The  innate  duplicity  of  secret  societies  may  be  well 
exemplified  by  the  very  direction  which  Weishaupt,  the 
great  German  mystagogue,  gave  to  his  followers,  the  II- 
luminati :  "Conceal  the  very  fact  of  our  existence  from 
the  profane.  If  they  discover  us,  conceal  our  real  object 
by  profession  of  benevolence.  If  our  real  object  is  per- 
ceived pretend  to  disband  and  relinquish  the  whole  thing, 
but  assume  another  name  and  put  forward  new  agents." 

Life  insurance  in  any  secret  society  is  not  the  prime 
or  most  important  motive  of  its  existence.  Every 
intelligent  member  of  a  higher  degree  in  any  lodge  will 
admit,  if  candid,  that  there  is  an  ulterior,  deep,  far- 
reaching  purpose,  in  no  connection  and  to  no  purpose 
in  any  merely  benevolent  association.  Social  advantages, 
political  schemes  and  hopes,  pecuniary  speculations  form 
part  of  the  programme,  but  I  have  heard  it  time  and. 
again  from  the  lips  of  prominent  members  that  all  these 
are  not  a  tenth  of  the  aims  and  objects.  To  be  semi- 
naries for  the  Masonic  Order  and  auxiliaries  to  the  prin- 
ciple of  Masonry  in  doing  away  with  Christ  and  His 
Church  is  the  main  reason  for  the  existence  of  secret  so- 
cieties. 

The  insurance  feature  enables  some  of  the  officers  to 
get  an  easy  living.  Thus  we  read  in  these  days  of  con- 
ventions that  the  Grand  High  Bombaston  draws  a  salary 


51 

of  $10,000 ;  the  Supreme  Chief  Ranger  $8000 ;  the  Su- 
preme Mystic  Ruler  and  Supreme  Dictator  each  $4000; 
Supreme  Commander  $5000,  and  so  on. 

\Yhat  the  Past  Grand  Chancellor  of  the  Knights  of 
Pythias  has  to  say  in  the  letter  copied  below  has  been 
said  by  nearly  all  other  leaders  in  the  different  secret  so- 
cieties. 

ELK  RIVER,  Minn.,  Jan.  7,  1895. 

"EDITOR  ADVOCATE  : 

"I  have  been  silent  much  longer  than  I  intended, 
though  doubtless  what  is  my  loss  is  your  gain.  I  thought 
long  ere  this  to  write  you  from  the  far  West  where  I  in- 
tend to  make  my  future  home ;  but  fate  seems  to  be  tem- 
porarily, at  least,  against  me,  and  so  I  submit  to  the  in- 
exorable decree  with  as  good  grace  as  possible,  consider- 
ing my  former  determination  never  to  pass  another  win- 
ter in  this  hyperborean  region.  Asa  Pythian  state,  Min- 
nesota is  a  grand  success,  and  this  is  all  the  concession  I 
am  prepared  to  make;  and  I  have  been  forced  to  believe 
that  Pythianism  demands  just  about  such  winters  as 
Minnesota  furnishes  for  its  most  vigorous  development. 
In  other  words,  they  have  to  hustle  to  keep  warm.  But 
whether  this  idea  is  correct  or  not,  I  am  proud  of  Min- 
nesota for  her  Pythian  record,  her  determination  to  lead ; 
and  this  brings  me  to  the  point  I  wish  to  make,  the  ob- 
ject of  this  communication.  In  doing  this  I  am  moved  by 
no  other  consideration  than  the  highest  good  of  the  Or- 
der, an  Order  that  has  constantly  grown  in  my  estima- 
tion as  a  remedial  force  in  society  ever  since  I  took  my 
instruction  therein;  and  if  its  principles,  its  objects  and 
aims  are.  rightly  taught  and  understood  and  then  prac- 
ticed accordingly,  Pythianism  would  furnish  different 


52 

results  from  that  obtained  today  in  very  many  localities. 
Thousands  enter  this  Order  for  no  other  reason  than 
Avhat  they  can  get  out  of  it  in  dollers  and  cents.  Take 
away  the  promised  benefits,  or  hope  of  material  advan- 
tage, and  the  work  of  suspension  would  be  more  rapid 
than  that  of  gain.  Now,  in  soliciting  material  for  our 
lodges,  the  idea  of  pecuniary  aid  should  never  be  hinted 
at.  It  is  perfectly  absurd  to  tell  a  man,  in  glowing  rhet- 
oric, how  much  will  accrue  to  him  financially  if  he  will 
only  connect  himself  with  the  lodge.  If  you  can't  reach 
a  man  except  through  his  stomach  or  by  an  appeal  to  his 
avarice,  give  him  the  go-by ;  for  we  have  too  much  of  this 
timber  already.  It  is  this  class  that  carries  into  the  lodge 
the  tactics  of  the  ward  politician,  and  on  the  eve  of  an 
election  you  will  find  him  as  busy  as  a  bee  getting  in  his 
work  among  the  members;  and  unless  he  wins,  he  finds 
it  inconvenient  for  him  to  attend  lodge  thereafter.  Dur- 
ing our  civil  war,  it  was  alleged  that  fat  salaries  made 
many  truly  loyal,  and  almost  without  an  exception  their 
loyalty  increased  in  proportion  to  increase  of  salary. 
The  same  holds  true  with  scores  in  our  lodges  today. 
There  are  members  who  will  supplant  a  brother  by 
means  that  a  political  trickster  would  scarcely  use,  and 
think  it  smart.  Now,  Mr.  Editor,  these  fellows  are  ig- 
norant of  the  first  elements  of  Pythianism. 

"That  'Grecian  Scene/  the  most  remarkable  exemplifi- 
cation of  unselfish  devotion  in  the  history  of  the  world, 
has  less  significance  to  him  than  a  horse-race.  While  I 
am  as  eager  as  anyone  to  augment  our  numerical 
strength,  I  cannot  resist  the  annoying  impression  that  we 
have  rushed  our  superstructure  too  rapidly  by  the  intro- 
duction of  timber  than  an  eye  to  symmetry,  beauty  and 


53 

durability  would  have  rejected.  Our  basis,  our  founda- 
tion is  the  grandest  of  human  conception;  our  super- 
structure thus  far  reared  has  radical  defects,  and  it  de- 
volves upon  the  true  Pythian  by  means  at  his  command 
to  mold  this  heterogeneous  mass  into  forms  of  beauty  and 
loveliness  fit  to  adorn  the  temple  of  Pythian  manhood. 
I  say  by  means  at  his  command,  for  the  true  loyal  Knight 
appreciates  the  grandeur  and  nobility  of  the  chase  and 
thus  armed  he  is  inspired  thereby  in  every  word  and  ges- 
ture to  elevate  all  with  whom  he  comes  in  contact,  to  his 
plane  of  Pythian  existence.  We  are  building,  not  for  the 
present  alone,  but  for  the  vast  future.  Our  Order  is  to 
live  co-extensive  with  the  mightiest  achievement  of  hu- 
man intelligence;  and  after  I  shall  have  ceased  to  plead 
for  the  cause  so  dear,  upon  the  shaft  of  marble  or  granite 
that  may  arise  at  the  call  of  affection  to  indicate  the  re- 
pose of  my  humble  dust,  no  grander  eulogium  could  be 
pronounced  than  that  I  was  a  true  Knight  of  Pythias.  • 
"B.  W.  B.  HARVEY,  P.  G.  C." 

Life  Insurance  is  a  comparatively  modern  institution 
and  looked  upon  in  diverse  ways.  A  number  of  Chris- 
tians look  upon  it  as  sinful  because  they  see  in  it  a  want 
of  confidence  in  divine  Providence.  They  say:  "God 
knows  what  we  need;  He  is  our  Father  and  in  Him  we 
must  trust,  for  Christ  said:  'Be  not  solicitous,  there- 
fore, saying :  What  shall  we  eat,  or  what  shall  we  drink, 
or  wherewith  shall  we  be  clothed?  for  after  all  these 
things  do  the  heathens  seek.  For  your  Father  knoweth 
that  you  have  need  of  all  these  things.  Seek  ye  there- 
fore first  the  kingdom  of  God  and  his  justice  and  all 
these  things  shall  be  added  unto  you/  "  (Math,  vi,  31- 
33.) 


54 

Another  class  of  people  look  upon  Life  Insurance  as  a 
sure  Avay  to  infidelity.  Their  sentiments  are  expressed 
by  the  French  writer,  Guyan,  mentioned  above.  He 
says :  "Among  the  causes  which  will  tend  in  the  future 
to  eliminate  the  dogma  of  a  special  Providence,  let  us 
note  the  development  of  the  arts,  even  the  art  of  com- 
merce and  industr}r,  which  is  still  in  its  very  beginnings. 
Merchants  and  workmen,  equally,  have  learned  already 
to  rely  upon  no  one  but  their  own  individual  selves,  to 
rely  each  upon  his  own  initiative,  his  personal  ingenuity. 

"In  modern  commerce  the  'positive/  spirit-restless  in- 
telligence and  calculation  outstripping  chance  tends  to 
become  the  true  and  sole  element  of  success;  as  to  the 
risks,  which^  in  spite  of  every  precaution,  still  remain, 
they  are  covered  by  insurance. 

'•'Insurance,  then,  is  a  conception  altogether  modern, 
whose  operation  is  to  substitute  the  direct  action  of  man 
for  the  intervention  of  God  in  private  affairs,  and  which 
looks  to  the  recompense  for  a  misfortune  before  it  has 
happened.  It  is  probable  that  insurance,  which  dates 
only  some  few  years  back  and  is  spreading  rapidly,  will 
be  applied  some  day  to  almost  every  form  of  accident  to 
which  man  is  liable;  will  be  adapted  to  every  circum- 
stance of  life,  will  accompany  us  everywhere,  will  envelop 
us  in  a  protecting  net .... 

"It  is  possible  that  the  notion  of  a  special  Providence 
will  some  day  be  completely  eliminated  from  the  sphere 
of  economics;  everything  that  in  any  manner  whatsoever 
is  capable  of  being  estimated  in  terms  of  money  will  be 
covered  by  an  insurance,  shielded  from  accident,  made 
independent  of  divine  favor." 


55 

The  majority  of  people,  however,  look  upon  Life  In- 
surance' as  a  business  transaction,  and  in  the  present  eco- 
nomical condition  of  society  as  a  necessity,  and  they  say : 
Every  man  with  a  clear  head  for  business  takes  life  in- 
surance with  three  objects  in  view  : 

First,  as  indemnity  payable  to  his  family,  or  estate, 
or  creditor,  in  case  of  death. 

Second,  as  a  preparation  for  old  age  when  it  is  no 
longer  possible  to  earn  a  living. 

Third,  as  a  method  of  saving. 

In  order  to  accomplish  these  objects,  the  institution 
selected  must  be  permanent,  it  must  have  unquestioned 
financial  standing  and  its  business  must  be  conducted  ac- 
cording to  principles  laid  down  by  some  of  the  world's 
greatest  mathematicians  and  tested  by  the  experience  of 
one  hundred  and  fifty  years.  These  principles  are  as  well 
understood  and  as  certain  in  their  operations  as  the  law  of 
gravity,  and  by  their  aid  the  "old  line"  or  regular  premi- 
um life  insurance  companies  have  built  up  a  solid  busi- 
ness. 

According  to  the  Insurance  Year  Book  there  were  on 
.la nuary  1,  1902,  eighty  of  these  companies  in  the  United 
States,  possessing  assets  of  $1,921,434,601.  These  com- 
panies have  paid  to  their  policy  holders  since  organiza- 
tion the  enormous  sum  of  $2,915,351,025. 

The  operations  of  these  companies  are  based  upon 
carefully  prepared  mortality  tables,  from  which  can  be 
ax -ortained  the  probable  number  of  persons  who  will 
die  out  of  a  given  number  at  each  age,  and  a  sufficient 
amount  of  premium  is  charged  to  pay  off  each  death  loss 
as  it  occurs.  This  premium  is  a  fixed  annual  payment 
which  provides  for  the  increasing  death  rate  due  to  ad- 


56 

vancing  age.  Policies  of  this  kind  have  a  cash  value 
that  may  be  drawn  upon  in  case  of  emergency,  or  which 
may  he  drawn  out  in  case  the  policy  holder  desires  to  give 
up  his  insurance.  In  this  way  a  member  protects  his 
family  against  his  death  at  the  same  time  he  protects 
himself  against  emergencies  and  old  age.  The  compa- 
nies doing  business  on  the  scientific  old-line  plan  are  so 
solid  that  every  member  is  sure  of  his  protection  so  long 
as  he  desires  to  keep  his  membership.  In  every  state 
there  are  laws  providing  for  the  incorporation  of  compa- 
nies using  this  system  and  for  governing  their  opera- 
tions. 

According  to  the  last  United  States  census  325,829 
males  over  19  years  of  age  died  in  the  United  States 
during  the  census  year.  During  1901  the  eighty  Ameri- 
can life  insurance  companies  previously  mentioned  paid 
in  death  claims  $117,884,361,  or  an  average  of  $361.76 
for  each  such  death. 

Besides  the  old  line  insurance  companies'  system  there 
is  the  open  business  assessment  system,  in  which  the  con- 
tract between  the  association  and  the  insured  is  some- 
times called  a  policy  and  sometimes  a  certificate.  This 
system  has  no  lodges  or  fraternal  bond  to  bind  the  in- 
sured together,  and  the  associations  are  merely  business 
concerns  without  a  representative  form  of  government, 
generally  close  corporations.  In  every  state,  also,  laws 
are  found  for  their  incorporation  and  supervision. 

The  most  widely  spread  system  is  the  fraternal  benefi- 
ciary system  or  that  of  the  secret  societies,  composed  of 
societies  having  a  representative  form  of  government, 
subordinate  lodges  and  ritualistic  work,  furnishing 
financial  assistance  to  living  members  in  sickness  or  des- 


57 

titution,  providing  for  the  payment  of  benefits  to  living 
members  in  case  of  partial  or  total  physical  disability 
arising  from  sickness  or  old  age,  and  providing  benefits 
at  the  death  of  members  for  their  families  or  dependent 
blood  relatives. 

The  uniform  bill  adopted  by  the  National  Fraternal 
Congress,  which  has  been  engrafted  on  the  statute  books 
of  several  of  the  states,  defines  what  constitutes  a  frater- 
nal beneficiary  society  in  the  following  terms :  Section  1. 
A  fraternal  beneficiary  association  is  hereby  declared  to 
be  a  corporation,  society  or  voluntary  association,  formed 
or  organized  and  carried  on  for  the  sole  benefit  of  its 
members  and  their  beneficiaries  and  not  for  profit.  Each 
association  shall  have  a  lodge  system,  with  ritualistic 
form  of  government,  and  shall  make  provision  for  the 
payment  of  benefits  in  case  of  death  and  may  make  pro- 
vision for  the  payment  of  benefit  in  case  of  sickness,  acci- 
dent or  old  age,  provided  the  period  of  life  at  which  pay- 
ment of  physical  disability  benefits  on  account  of  old  age 
commences  shall  not  be  under  seventy  years,  subject  to 
their  compliance  with  its  constitutions  and  laws.  The 
fund  from  which  the  payment  of  such  association  shall  be 
defrayed  shall  be  derived  from  assessments  or  dues  col- 
lected from  its  members.  Payment  of  death  benefits 
shall  be  to  the  families,  heirs,  blood  relatives,  affianced 
husbands,  affianced  wives,  or  to  persons  dependent  upon 
the  members. 

•  The  laws  of  the  Fraternal  Congress  declare  that  no 
fraternal  society,  order  or  association  shall  be  entitled 
to  representation  in  it  unless  the  latter  "works  under  a 
ritual,  holds  regular  lodge  or  similar  meetings,  where 
the  purposes  are  confined  to  visitation  of  the  sick,  relief 


58 

of  distress,  burial  of  the  dead,  protection  of  widows  and 
orphans,  education  of  the  orphan,  payment  of  a  benefit 
for  temporary  or  permanent  disability  or  death,  and 
where  these  principles  are  an  obligated  duty  on  all  mem- 
bers, to  be  discharged  without  compensation  or  pecuniary 
reward ;  where  the  general  membership  attend  to  the  gen- 
eral business  of  the  order,  and  where  a  fraternal  interest 
in  the  welfare  of  each  other  is  a  duty  taught,  recognized 
and  practiced  as  the  motive  and  bond  of  organization." 
The  mutual  agreement  between  the  fraternal  society  and 
the  member  is  not  a  policy  or  contract  like  that  entered 
into  between  a  life  insurance  company  and  its  policy  hold- 
er. Fraternal  societies  simply  issue  a  certificate  of  mem- 
bership, in  which  the  member  agrees  to  comply  with  all 
the  rules  and  regulations  in  force  at  the  time  he  becomes 
a  member,  and  with  all  changes -in  the  laws,  etc.,  that 
may  be  lawfully  made  during  his  membership.  He  has 
no  vested  or  property  rights  while  living  and  belonging 
to  such  societies  unless  he  should  become  sick  or  dis- 
abled, and  then  only  after  his  claim  has  been  allowed. 
After  the  death  of  a  member  who  has  complied  with  the 
laws,  the  beneficiary  has  a  vested  or  property  right  to  the 
amount  of  a  deceased  member's  certificate,  as  provided 
by  the  society's  laws. 

As  life  insurance  then  is  a  monetary  transaction  "do 
ut  des,"  what  need  is  there  of  signs  and  symbols,  of  grips 
and  passwords,  of  chaplain  and  unchristian  ceremonies, 
of  blind  obedience  and  unnatural  oath,  of  debasement 
and  slaving  submission  ? 

About  the  condition  of  the  insurance  feature  of  frater- 
nal societies  in  the  state  of  Illinois  the  insurance  commis- 
sioner has  this  to  say  on  August  4,  1901 : 


59 

"The  state  has  by  statute  required  these  societies  to 
report  annually  their  condition  and  transactions  to  the 
department,  and  has  enacted  certain  regulations  for  the 
government  of  their  business.  But  these  laws  are  inade- 
quate for  such  measure  of  supervision  as  looks  to  the 
ability  of  the  society  to  fulfill  its  obligations  in  the  fu- 
ture. There  is  not  even  a  test  of  present  solvency  estab- 
lished. A  society  encounters  no  obstacle  in  delaying  the 
payment  of  claims  and  permitting  an  amount  of  unpaid 
losses  to  accumulate  until  so  large  that  it  is  beyond  the 
ability  of  the  members  to  respond  to  assessments  neces- 
sary to  meet  them.  No  emergency  fund  is  required. 

"In  many  cases  rates  so  low  were  adopted  at  organiza- 
tion as  to  lead  one  to  conclude  that  the  law  of  mortality 
was  construed  as  containing  an  exemption  applicable  to 
fraternal  societies.  A  reluctance  to  encounter  the  criti- 
cisms and  vexations  liable  to  follow  a  rise  of  rates  or  an 
increase  in  assessments  causes  the  managers  to  put  off 
this  necessary  action,  and  in  the  meantime  the  amount  of 
unpaid  death  claims  continues  to  grow.  This  condition 
was  strikingly  illustrated  during  the  year  by  the  failure 
of  one  of  the  largest  societies  in  the  state." 

The  State  Insurance  Commissioner  of  Iowa,  Mr.  Max 
Bechler,  is  quoted  in  the  Dubuque  Catholic  Tribune  of 
August  15th,  1001,  as  follows: 

"There  are  fifty-nine  fraternal  societies  doing  business 
in  Iowa,  five  less  than  last  year,  and  of  that  number 
many  are  exceedingly  short-lived,  and  some  would  better 
never  have  been  born.  The  purpose  of  a  number  of  com- 
panies seems  to  be  to  furnish  cheaper  insurance  than  the 
next  one,  and  looking  at  them  from  the  standpoint  of 
an  experienced  insurance  man,  I  cannot  but  feel  confi- 


60 

dent  that  some  of  them  will  surely  come  to  grief.  A  fra- 
ternal order  cannot  stand  unless  it  raises  its  rates  suffi- 
ciently high  to  cover  the  premiums  which  are  bound  to 
require  payment  at  some  time  in  the  future.  They  will 
also  have  to  be  more  careful  about  the  physical  condition 
of  the  members  taken  in.  The  fraternal  orders  have 
done  great  good  for  widows  and  orphans,  but  the  only 
hope  of  the  members  can  be  to  die  before  the  company 
does." 


CHAPTER  VIII. 

THE  PARLIAMENT  OF  RELIGIONS. 

A.  J.  Canfield,  speaking  of  the  Parliament  of  Reli- 
gions, says :  "It  will  long  remain  the  enviable  distinction 
of  the  Brahman,  Brahmo-Somaj,  Jain,  Buddhist,  Japan- 
ese both  Buddhist  and  Shintoist,  Confucian  and  Parsee 
representatives  in  the  great  historic  parliament,  that 
they  were  in  the  front  rank  not  only  by  the  interest  of 
their  appearance,  but  by  their  own  high  character  and 
character  of  their  contribution."  Swami  Vivikananda, 
a  representative  from  Calcutta,  created  a  regular  furore 
at  this  parliament  and  was  one  of  the  most  popular  mem- 
bers therof.  The  Chicago  Inter- Ocean  at  the  time  said : 
"Great  crowds  of  people,  the  most  of  whom  are  women, 
pressed  around  the  doors  leading  to  the  hall  of  Colum- 
bus, an  hour  before  the  time  stated  for  opening  the  after- 
noon session,  for  it  had  been  announced  that  Swami 
Vivikananda,  the  popular  Hindu  monk,  was  to  speak.'' 
The  following  are  some  quotations  from  his  speeches: 
''I  am  proud  to  belong  to  a  religion  which  has  taught 
the  world  both  tolerance  and  universal  acceptance.  We 
believe  not  only  in  universal  toleration  but  we  accept 
all  religions  to  be  true.  I  am  present  to  tell  you  that 
I  belong  to  a  religion  into  whose  sacred  language,  the 
Sanscrit,  the  word  exclusion  is  untranslatable.  *  *  * 
India  is  the  Punya  Bhumi,  the  land  of  religious  merit, 
the  land  of  spirituality.  Our  sacred  mother-land  is  a 
land  of  philosophy  and  religion,  the  birthplace  of  spirit- 


62 

ual  giants,  the  land  of  renunciation,  where,  and  where 
alone,  from  the  most  ancient  to  the  most  modern  times 
there  has  been  the  highest  ideals  of  life  open  to  man. 
Ours  is  the  land  from  whence,  like  tidal  waves,  spiritu- 
ality and  philosophy  have  again  and  again  marched  out 
and  deluged  the  world,  and  this  is  the  land  from  which 
once  more  such  tides  must  proceed  in  order  to  bring  life 
and  vigor  into  the  decaying  races  of  mankind.  The  eyes 
of  the  whole  world  are  now  turned  towards  this  land 
of  old  India  for  spiritual  food;  and  India  has  to  work 
for  all  the  races.  Here  alone  is  the  best  ideal  for  man- 
kind, and  western  scholars  are  now  struggling  to  un- 
derstand the  ideal  which  is  enshrined  in  our  Sanscrit 
literature  and  philosophy,  and  which  has  been  the 
characteristic  of  India  all  through  the  ages. 

"We  Hindus  have  now  been  placed  under  God's  Provi- 
dence in  a  very  critical  and  responsible  position.  The 
nations  of  the  West  are  coming  to  us  for  spiritual  help." 

Swami  Vivikananda  stayed  in  America  for  nearly 
three  years,  going  from  one  of  the  large  cities  to  the 
other,  and  gaining  admittance  in  the  upper  classes  of 
society,  made  it  a  point  to  have  special  gatherings  in 
the  houses  of  the  more  fashionables  and  there  he  spread 
his  doctrine.  The  Brahmavadin,  an  Indian  Paper, 
March  14,  1896,  says: 

"His  lecture  before  the  Metaphysical  Society  in 
Brooklyn  and  the  People's  Church  in  New  York  were 
as  usual  w'ell  attended  and  highly  appreciated.  In 
February  he  will  lecture  before  the  Metaphysical  So- 
ciety at  Hartford,  Connecticut,  and  the  Ethical  Society, 
Brooklyn,  where  the  numerous  followers  are  eagerly 
anticipating  the  pleasure  of  his  coming. 


63 

"At  the  close  of  a  second  series  of  lectures  in  New  York, 
the  Swami  will  accept  an  urgent  invitation  extended  to 
him  repeatedly  by  the  Harvard  University  to  lecture 
before  the  Graduate  Philosophical  Club,  which  is  the 
leading  Philosophical  organization  at  Harvard."  From 
America  the  Swami  went  to  England.  The  London 
Daily  Chronical  of  June  10,  1896,  states  that  "the 
Swami's  lectures  may  be  heard  at  63  St.  George's  Koad, 
on  Tuesday's  and  Thursday's,  at  half  past  eleven  A.  M. 
and  at  half  past  eight  P.  M.  up  to  the  end  of  July.  It 
is  also  announced  that  the  Swami  will  lecture  in  one  of 
the  rooms  of  the  Royal  Institution,  191  Piccadilly,  at 
half  past  three  Sunday  afternoons."  Shortly  before 
leaving  England  The  Daily  Graphic  says :  "He  has  now 
a  considerable  following  in  London.  It  would  not  be 
too  much  to  say  that  his  weekly  audiences  here  number 
in  the  aggregate  500,  and  on  the  strength  of  his  preach- 
ing a  room  in  Victoria  Street  has  just  been  engaged 
permanently  for  meetings  of  these  people  interested  in 
the  Swami's  message,  while  the  nucleous  of  a  lending 
library  finds  a  place  along  the  walls." 

On  his  return  to  India  he  boasted :  "I  helped  on  the 
tide  of  Vedantism  which  is  flooding  the  world. 

"  *  *  *  before  ten  years  more  elapse  a  vast  ma- 
jority of  the  English  speaking  world  will  be  Vedantists." 

His  return  to  India  was  hailed  by  his  friends  and 
many  addresses  were  read  to  him.  The  Colomba  address 
says:  "To  your  self-sacrificing  zeal  Western  nation? 
owe  the  priceless  boon  of  being  placed  in  living  contact 
with  the  genius  of  India." 

The  Calcutta  address  says  of •  his  teaching:  "The 
general  effect  was  a  revolution  in  the  religious  ideas  of  a 
large  section  of  cultivated  Americans." 


64 

The  Ahamara  address  says :  "Which  of  us  ever  dreamt 
that  a  descendant  of  the  old  Indian  Aryans  by  dint  of 
tapas  (bodily  mortification)  would  prove  to  the  learned 
people  of  England  and  America  the  superiority  of  the 
ancient  Indian  religions  over  every  other  creed?" 

Another  great  light  at  the  Parliament  was  Protap 
Chunder  Mozeomdar  of  the  Brahma-Somaj  of  India.  In 
his  paper  he  said:  "Christianity  declares  the  glory  of 
God,  Hinduism  speaks  about  His  infinite  and  eternal 
excellence.  Mohammedanism,  with  fire  and  sword,  proves 
the  almightiness  of  his  will.  Buddhism  says  how  joyful 
and  peaceful  He  is.  He  is  the  God  of  all  religions,  of  all 
denominations,  of  all  lands,  of  all  scriptures,  and  our 
progress  lies  in  the  harmonizing  these  various  systems, 
these  various  prophecies  and  their  development  into 
one  great  system.  Hence  the  new  system  of  religion 
in  the  Brahma-Somaj  is  called  the  New  Dispensation. 
The  Christian  speaks  in  terms  of  admiration  of  Chris- 
tianity, so  does  the  Hebrew  of  Judaism,  so  does  the 
Mohammedan  of  Islam  and  the  Zoroastrian  of  Zeud- 
A  vesta.  The  Christian  admires  his  principles  of  spirit- 
ual culture,  the  Hindu  does  the  same  and  the  Mohamme- 
dan does  the  same.  *  *  *  May  the  spread  of  the 
New  Dispensation  rest  with  you  all,  your  brothers  and 
sisters.  Representatives  of  all  religions,  may  all  your 
religions  merge  into  'The  Fatherhood  of  God  and  the 
Brotherhod  of  men,'  that  Christ's  prophecy  may  be 
fulfilled  and  mankind  become  one  kingdom  with  God 
our  Father." 

Some  Japanese  were  equally  confident  that  Buddhism 
was  to  be  "the  religion  of  the  future."  The  Indian  Mes- 
senger of  November  11,  1894,  says:  "A  surprising  ac- 
count of  the  effects  of  the  Parliament  of  Religions  at 


65 

the  Chicago  Exposition  is  given  by  a  Japanese  Buddhist 
to  his  co-religionists  on  his  return  from  Chicago.  He 
says  that  whilst  the  Parliament  was  undertaken  in  the 
interest  of  Christianity,  it  resulted  contrary  wise  in  dis- 
playing the  glory  of  Buddhism.  So  strongly  has  Amer- 
ica been  impressed  with  the  revelation  of  the  inferiority 
of  Christianity,  that  Buddhist  temples  and  images  are 
now  being  erected  on  the  Pacific  coast.  He  added  that 
in  Europe  also  Christianity  is  decaying  and  Buddhism 
gaining  ground  and  showing  promise  of  supplanting 
Christianity.  The  people  of  Europe,  he  says,  are  indeed 
eager  for  the  coming  of  Buddhist  priests  of  Japan." 

Kinza  Einge  M.  Hirai,  a  Japanese  Buddhist,  an  edu- 
cated layman,  said  among  many  other  things  this :  "The 
clean  Parsee,  purified  by  fire,  standing  almost  alone  to- 
day under  the  untarnished  flag  of  Zoroaster,  still  hopes 
and  dreams  of  the  revival  of  his  faith  by  the  influence 
of  this  parliament  of  religions,  and  he  is  right,  but  there 
is  something  more.  Members  of  this  great  auxiliary 
assembly,  there  is  a  surprise  for  you.  The  lamb  and 
the  lion  shall  lie  down  together.  Looking  more  intently, 
some  of  us  behold  a  strange  thing — the  paradox,  the 
anomaly — the  Christian  a  Buddhist  and  the  Buddhist  a 
Christian:  the  Moslem  a  Parsee  and  the  Parsee  a  Mos- 
lem. The  grand,  far-reaching  result  to  grow  out  of  this 
parliament  is  not  what  you  conceive,  but,  as  I  said  be- 
fore, a  surprise  awaits  you.  Out  of  it  shall  come  a  pure 
being,  unfettered,  naked,  white,  with  eyes  like  Christ 
and  dignity  like  Buddha,  bearing  the  rewards  of  Zoro- 
aster and  the  flaming  sword  of  Moslem.  To  her  the 
Jew  bows  his  head,  the  Christian  kneels,  the  Brahman 
prays;  before  her  the  habiliments  of  sects  and  creeds 
fall  off,  for  she  is  pure  and  naked,  she  is  the  one  truth 


resurrected  from  the  mingled  heart  and  interchanged 
mind  of  the  world's  great  parliament  of  religions." 

Swami  Vivikananda  was  succeeded  by  Swami  Abbe- 
dannanda  as  preacher  of  Vedantism  in  America.  Says 
the  New  York  Sun  of  December  26,  1897 :  "A  reporter 
of  this  paper  had  an  interview  with  Swami  Abbedan- 
nanda,  who  said  among  other  things:  'To  understand 
Christ  one  must  understand  the  Hindu  conception  of 
the  soul  and  of  the  universe:  for  Christ,  although  a  Jew 
by  race,  was  in  every  fiber  of  His  character  a  Hindu,  or 
A^edantist,  and  when  the  Christian  looks  at  his  Savior 
from  a  Hindu  point  of  view,  he  will  not  only  get  a  more 
beautiful  and  sublime  conception  of  Christ,  but  will  re- 
ceive a  much  better  opinion  of  himself  and  his  fellow- 
men.  All  that  Christ  did  and  said  will  become  vastly 
more  interesting  to  him.  for  he  can  himself  confidently 
hope  some  day  to  become  a  Christ  himself.  The  beauty 
of  the  Vedantic  view  of  Christ  is,  to  be  able  to  realize 
from  experience  that  you  and  I  and  all  of  us  will  some 
day,  on  this  very  earth,  clothed  in  flesh  and  blood,  be- 
come Christ,  for  in  every  one  of  us  is  the  pure  and  sub- 
lime soul  that  shows  forth  Him  on  the  Mount  of  Trans- 
figuration. It  needs  only  to  be  set  free  and  connect 
itself  with  the  cosmic  intelligence  that  stands  behind 
and  directs,  evolves  and  projects  all  these  gross  forms  of 
matter  that  we  sec.  In  every  one  of  us  is  a  spark  of  this 
universal  intelligent  energy  that  is  moving  towards  free- 
dom. In  Christ,  in  Buddha,  and  in  many  of  our  Hindu 
sages  this  cosmic  energy  is  set  free/' '; 

Several  Buddhist  missionaries  are  working  in  the 
larger  cities  now  to  establish  temples  and  make  con- 
verts. Even  if  their  accounts  of  the  success  of  their 


67 

work  are  exaggerated,  still  the  field  in  the  United  States 
is  for  a  time  favorable  to  the  "Oriental  Antiquity — the 
present  Novelty,"  since  secret  societies  are  continuously 
preparing  the  ground. 


CHAPTER  IX. 

THE  OATH  IN  SECRET  SOCIETIES. 

Webster  defines  oath  as  "A  solemn  affirmation  or  dec- 
laration made  with  appeal  to  God  for  the  truth  of  what  is 
affirmed.  The  appeal  to  God  in  an  oath  implies  that 
the  person  imprecates  His  vengeance  and  renounces  His 
favor  if  the  declaration  is  false,  or,  if  the  declaration  is  a 
promise,  the  person  invokes  the  vengeance  of  God  if  he 
should  fail  to  fulfill  it.  A  false  oath  is  called  perjury." 

Whatever  the  form  of  an  oath  may  be  the  significance 
is  the  same,  viz. :  calling  upon  Almighty  God  to  witness, 
i.  e.,  take  notice  of  what  we  say.  In  order  that  an  oath 
should  be  valid  it  must  be  administered  by  a  person  hav- 
ing the  authority  to  do  so,  and  to  a  person  competent, 
mentally  and  morally,  to  take  it.  Now  there  is  no  au- 
thority in  this  world  except  it  comes  from  God,  and  the 
two  authorities  established  by  Almighty  God  are  the 
Church  and  the  State. 

In  order  that  an  oath  be  lawful  there  must  be  some- 
thing in  the  nature  of  the  case  demanding  the  solemnity 
of  an  oath,  and  the  oath  itself  must  be  lawfully  adminis- 
tered, either  by  an  officer  of  the  Church,  or  of  the  State, 
in  his  official  capacity,  and  the  person  swearing  must 
swear  intelligently,  knowing  what  he  declares  to  be  true, 
and  what  he  binds  himself  to  perform  to  be  right  and 
proper  for  him  to  do.  The  maxim  is :  "Whoever  taketh 
an  oath,  ought  duly  to  consider  the  weightiness  of  so 
solemn  an  act,  and  therein  to  avouch  nothing  but  what 


69 

he  is  persuaded  is  the  truth.  Neither  can  any  man 
bind  himself  by  oath  to  do  anything  but  what  is  good 
and  just,  and  what  he  believes  to  be  so,  and  what  he  is 
able  and  resolved  to  perform." 

Secret  societies  have  no  right  whatsoever,  nor  any 
authority  whatsoever  to  administer  the  oath  and  by  so 
doing  usurp  rights  which  do  not  belong  to  them. 

The  nature  of  the  oaths  in  secret  societies  is  in  itself 
sinful : 

1st — It  is  unlawfully  administered  and  taken  because 
God  has  not  constituted  secret  societies. 

2d — There  is  nothing  in  the  nature  of  the  case  to  war- 
rant the  solemnity  of  an  oath,  and  God's  name  is  taken 
in  vain. 

3d — Such  oaths  are  unnatural,  because  the  person 
binds  himself  to  do  he  knows  not  what;  he  swears  to 
keep  secret  things  not  yet  made  known  to  him,  and  to 
obey  rules  and  regulations  of  which  he  knows  absolutely 
nothing. 

4th — These  oaths  place  the  taker  under  unlawful  pen- 
alties, and  bind  him  to  execute  these  penalties,  which  is 
a  crime,  both  against  the  State  and  the  individual  as 
well  as  against  the  Church. 

5th — To  swear  to  keep  the  secrets  of  others,  whether 
such  be  for  the  benefit  or  injury  of  other  people,  is  a 
crime  against  society. 

Daniel  Webster  said  in  a  letter  dated  Boston,  Novem- 
ber 20,  1835,  "I  have  no  hesitation  in  saying  that  how- 
ever unobjectionable  may  have  been  the  original  objects 
of  the  institution,  or  however  pure  may  be  the  motives 
and  purposes  of  the  individual  members,  and  notwith- 
standing the  many  great  and  good  men  who  have  from 
time  to  time  belonged  to  the  order,  yet,  nevertheless,  it 


70 

is  an  institution  which  in  my  judgment  is  essentially 
wrong  in  the  principle  of  its  formation,  that  from  its 
very  nature  it  is  liable  to  great  abuses ;  that  among  the 
obligations  which  are  found  to  be  imposed  upon  its 
members  there  are  such  as  are  entirely  incompatible 
with  the  duty  of  good  citizens,  and  that  all  secret  asso- 
ciations, the  members  of  which  take  upon  themselves 
extraordinary  obligations  to  one  another,  and  are  bound 
together  by  secret  oaths,  are  naturally  sources  of  jeal- 
ousy and  just  alarm  to  others,  are  especially  unfavorable 
to  harmony-  and  mutual  confidence  among  men  living 
together  under  popular  institutions,  and  are  dangerous 
to  the  general  cause  of  civil  liberty  and  good  govern- 
ment. Under  the  influence  of  this  conviction  it  is  my 
opinion  that  the  future  administration  of  all  such  oaths 
and  the  formation  of  all  such  obligations  should  be  pro- 
hibited by  law." 

Inefficiency  of  the  Oath. — We  clipped  the  following 
from  the  Chicago  Chronicle  of  Sept.  25th,  1901,  and  it 
is  too  significant  to  be  lost : 

"Today  the  oath  is  no  longer  efficacious  as  a  con- 
science binder.  If  a  man  would  deliberately  lie  to  gain 
a  point  without  being  under  oath,  there  is  little  reason 
to  hope  he  would  not  dodge  the  oath  if  a  mere  future 
punishment  were  in  store  for  him.  All  that  an  oath 
is  good  for  is  to  put  the  witness  within  the  pale  of  the 
law.  Man  will  punish  him  for  perjury  if  he  swears 
falsely  and  is  detected.  The  old  notion  of  a  religious 
test  upon  the  secret  conscience  is  worthless  now.  If  he 
can  escape  perjury  he  will  reel  off  his  yarn  as  glibly 
under  oath  as  without  it.  Punishment  in  this  life  by 
imprisonment  at  hard  labor  is  the  real  restraining  influ- 
ence. That  it  is  very  effective  is  the  belief  of  most  prac- 


71 

titioners.  It  is  common  comment  that  false  testimony 
is  injected  into  the  majority  of  cases." 

The  Catholic  Church  teaches  that  God  has  placed  the 
twofold  authority  of  Church  and  State  in  this  world  to 
watch  over  the  actions  of  man  for  the  good  of  society; 
and  these  two  authorities,  namely,  Church  and  State, 
are  sovereign  and  that  it  is  dangerous  (not  to  say  treason- 
able) to  Church  and  State,  therefore  wicked,  by  pledge 
or  promise  or  oath,  to  bind  one's  self  to  any  organization, 
to  any  man  or  set  of  men  in  higher  allegiance.  A  Cath- 
olic on  becoming  a  member  of  any  secret  society  may  no 
longer  openly  or  confidentially  communicate  to  his  con- 
fessor, spiritual  advisor,  bishop  or  pastor  what  the  lodge 
forbids  him  to  communicate,  no  matter  how  closely  re- 
lated to  affairs  of  conscience  and  religion  the  case  may 
be. 

As  a  citizen  he  may  not  without  violating  his  oath  or 
promise  reveal  in  court  the  doings  in  the  lodge-room. 

So  members  of  secret  societities  may  pay  outward  al- 
legiance to  Church  and  State,  but  they  pay  higher  allegi- 
ance to  the  lodsre. 


CHAPTER  X. 

INITIATION  INTO  SECRET  SOCIETIES. 

"What  baptism  is  to  the  Christian,  initiation  is  to  the 
lodge-member.''  The  initiation  into  the  ancient  mys- 
teries or  secret  societies  of  old  ,js  the  model  for  initia- 
tion into  the  secret  societies  of  today,,  and,  as  one  is 
much  like  the  other,  the  reason  for  the  forms  must  be 
the  same — only  that  there  was  more  sense  in  the  ancient 
mode  than  can  be  said  of  the  modern.  About  the  an- 
cient mode  of  initiation  Masonic  writers  say:  "These 
rites,  magnificent  and  impressive,  and  startling,  by  sud- 
den transitions  and  striking  contrasts,  rites  commencing 
in  gloom  and  sorrow,  and  ending  in  light  and  joy,  dimly 
shadowed  forth  the  passage  of  man  from  barbarianism 
to  civilization,  from  ignorance  to  science,  and  his  con- 
stant progress  onward  and  upward  through  the  ages,  to 
still  sublimer  elevations.  The  trembling  and  helpless 
neophyte,  environed  with  terror  and  gloom,  and  pursu- 
ing his  uncertain  and  difficult  way  through  the  mystic 
journey  of  initiation,  which  terminated  in  light  and  con- 
fidence, was  a  type  or  representative  of  humanity  march- 
ing upward  from  the  gloom  and  darkness  of  the  primitive 
state  of  barbarism  to  a  high  degree  of  enlightenment, 
of  social  refinement  and  perfection.  The  mystic  cere- 
mony was,  therefore,  emblematic  of  the  progressive  de- 
velopment of  man,  and  was  intended  as  an  aid  to  that 
development. 


73 

«  *  *  *  the  true  end  and  purpose  of  the  mys- 
teries, the  first  and  greatest  end  thereof,  were,  according 
to  the  ancients,  to  civilize  savage  people,  soften  their 
ferocious  manners,  render  them  social,  and  prepare  them 
for  a  kind  of  life  more  worthy  of  the  dignity  of  man." 
(McCoy,  Direct,  of  Masonry.) 

To  betray  the  mysteries  was  everywhere  considered  in- 
famous, and  the  heaviest  penalties  were  attached  to  it; 
hence  also,  in  all  initiations  the  candidate  had  to  take  the 
most  horrible  oaths  that  he  would  keep  the  secrets  en- 
trusted to  him.  Alcibiades  was  banished  and  consigned 
to  the  Furies  for  having  revealed  the  mysteries  of  Ceres ; 
Protheus,  Tantalus,  Oedipus,  Orpheus  and  others  suf- 
fered various  punishments  for  the  same  reason.  The 
candidate  had  to  undergo  the  purification  by  Fire,  Air, 
Water  and  Earth. 

We  are  told  that  the  rite  represents  man  in  his  primi- 
tive condition  of  helplessness,  ignorance,  and  moral 
blindness,  seeking  after  the  mental  and  moral  enlight- 
enment which  alone  can  deliver  his  mind  from  all  thrall- 
dom  and  make  him  master  of  the  material  world.  The 
Neophyte,  in  darkness  and  with  tremblings,  knocks  at 
the  door  of  the  lodge,  and  demands  admission,  instruc- 
tion and  light.  So  man,  born  ignorant  and  helpless  and 
blind,  yet  feeling  stirring  within  him  unappeasable  long- 
ings for  knowledge,  knocks  at  the  door  of  the  temple  of 
science.  He  interrogates  nature,  demands  her  secrets, 
and  at  length  becomes  the  proud  possessor  of  her  mys- 
teries. 

The  Eev  A.  B.  Grosh,  in  his  Improved  Pocket-Man- 
ual of  Odd-Fellows,  has  the  following  to  say  about  in- 
itiation: "Every  Odd-Fellow  should  keep  clearly  im- 
pressed on  his  mind  and  heart  the  lessons  taught  at  in- 


74 

itiation.  They  are  a  guide  to  understand  properly  all 
that  follows  after  an  epitomized  summary  of  the  great 
principles  and  objects  of  the  Order.  They  contain  the 
germs  which  after-instruction  and  his  own  practice 
should  develop  and  mature  into  blossoming  and  fruitful- 
ness.  In  one  word,  'what  regeneration  by  the  word  of 
truth  is  in  religion,  initiation  is  in  Odd-Fellowship.' 

"A  thoughtful  man's  first  entrance  into  a  lodge,  un- 
knowing what  is  to  be  transacted  there,  is  a  serious 
event.  There,  for  a  time,  he  is  to  be  isolated  from  gen- 
eral society,  in  a  retreat  sacred  to  benevolence  and  peace, 
awaj'  from  the  world,  with  its  selfish  toils  and  cares,  its 
factitious  distinctions  and  social  vices,  surrounded 
wholly  by  those  who  have  avowed  to  devote  their  lives 
to  fraternity  in  Odd-Fellowship  (secret  societies).  His 
object  is  to  learn  their  principles,  to  assume  their  vows, 
to  unite  in  their  labors.  That  he  may  do  so  properly, 
they  require  him  to  pass  through  rites  which  shall  teach 
him  his  present  condition  as  a  social  being,  and  the 
primary  principles  of  the  condition  he  is  about  to  enter. 

"Consider  then  the  social  state  of  man  without  knowl- 
edge and  practice  of  those  relations  which  bind  him  to 
his  Creator  and  his  fellows.  How  isolated  his  position; 
how  surrounded  by  the  darkness  of  ignorance  on  every 
side;  how  feeble,  helpless,  dependent,  in  a  world  that 
appears  adverse  and  antagonistic?  If  he  find  a  guide, 
he  knows  not  whether  to% trust  or  doubt  him;  and  he  is 
yet  in  such  need  of  one  that  he  follows  whithersoever 
he  is  led. 

"Himself  bound  by  his  ignorance  and  fears,  in  the  in- 
durating fetter  of  selfishness,  he  knows  not  that  any 
have  more  light  and  freedom  than  are  his;  and  yet,  not 
fully  realizing  his  own  need  of  both,  he  may  marvel  if 


told  that  nearly  all  mankind  are  in  darkness  and  chains 
which  they  neither  behold  nor  feel.  It  is  not  till  some 
voice  greets  his  ear  with  a  promise  of  instruction,  that 
he  begins  to  conceive  that  the  chaos  around  him  may 
be  resolved  into  order;  the  discord  to  harmony.  This 
conception  leads  him  to  desire  that  wisdom  which  shall 
shed  light  upon  his  darkness,  and  unravel  the  perplexi- 
ties which  bewilder  the  soul.  And  yet,  the  first  ray  of 
light  will  but  increase  the  apparent  gloom;  for  it  will 
exhibit  more  strongly  the  vanity  of  human  pursuits  and 
possessions,  the  brevity  of  life  and  the  certainty  of 
death,  and  all  life's  evils  fearfully  aggravated  and  in- 
creased by  the  strifes,  discords,  and  dissensions  which 
flow  from  human  ignorance  and  folly  and  end  at  last  in 
death  itself. 

"Yet  contemplate  the  scene.  From  all  that  gloom, 
light  will  shine  forth  to  guide  aright.  It  will  humble 
human  pride.  It  will  awaken  compassion  for  others. 
It  will  arouse  the  soul  to  a  just  sense  of  its  responsibili- 
ties to  God,  and  its  duty  to  man.  It  will  fill  his  heart 
with  a  salutary  horror  of  that  monster,  Sin,  whose  power 
has  arrayed  man  against  his  fellow-man  and  washed  the 
earth  with  tears  and  deluged  it  in  blood.  It  will  bid 
him  beware  that  his  own  heart  does  not  cherish  moral 
evil,  that  bane  of  happiness  and  peace,  that  fountain  of 
discord  and  strife,  that  inflictor  of  guilt  and  shame,  and 
woe  and  death,  which  must  reign  till  men  learn  to  obey 
the  law  of  truth  and  love,  and  the  earth  is  filled  with 
righteousness  and  peace. 

«  *  *  *  j£eep  jn  remembrance  the  signs  and  words 
imparted  to  you,  to  enable  you  to  enter  these  courts,  and 
to  recognize  and  be  recognized  by  your  brethren. 
Trifling  as  they  may  seem  to  some,  they  are  the  key  to 


76 

our  treasures  and  our  mysteries.  And  in  their  use,  re- 
member that  they  are  pledges  of  secrecy  to  the  brother- 
hood from  you,  and  to  you  from  us.  Kemember,  also, 
that  the  Omniscient  One  observes  your  every  discharge 
of  duty  and  use  of  privilege.  Let  your  hand,  then,  be 
open  as  day  to  greet  a  brother  with  frankness,  or  to  aid 
him  with  cheerfulness  and  love.  Show  due  courtesy  to 
your  brethren  and  salute  respectfully  those  who  preside 
over  the  lodge,  as  the  representatives  of  the  lodge  itself. 
The  forms  through  which  you  have  passed  are  not  what 
they  seem  to  many.  Under  each  act  and  emblem  there 
is  a  deep  significance.  So  in  life.  Apply  your  instruc- 
tions there,  and  everything  becomes  vocal  with  wisdom. 
The  eyes  blinded  by  the  darkness  of  a  dungeon  are 
naught  to  the  blindness  of  the  moral  sense  obscured  by 
indulgence  in  selfishness  and  sensuality.  The  fetters  on 
a  martyr's  limbs,  what  are  they  to  the  chains  which 
evil  passions  and  bad  habits  impose  on  the  inner  man, 
and  whose  iron  does  indeed  enter  the  soul?  May  your 
initiation  and  consequent  practice  aid  in  releasing  you 
from  all  blindness  of  moral  wisdom,  set  you  free  from 
the  fetters  of  ignorance  and  error,  and  bring  you  from 
a  death  of  selfishness  into  a  life  of  active  benevolence 
and  virtue/'  Thus  far  the  Eev.  A.  B.  Grosh.  Surely  he 
takes  the  initiation  .seriously,  and  so  do  thousands  of 
others.  I  have  been  told  by  more  than  one  person  that 
they  took  their  initiation  just  as  seriously  as  the  novice 
in  Catholic  religious  orders  when  he  makes  his  profes- 
sional vows. 

THE  RIDING  OF  THE  GOAT. 

In  most  secret  societies  the  riding  of  the  goat  is  one 
of  the  features  of  initiation.    Its  meaning  is  this:    "In 


77 

Egyptian  and  Grecian  mysteries  Harpocrates  was  con- 
sidered the  son  of  Osiris  and  Isis.  He  was  believed  to 
have  been  born  with  his  finger  in  his  mouth,  as  indica- 
tive of  secrecy  and  mystery.  The  Greeks  and  Komans 


Riding  the  Goat  in  the  Lodge-Room. 

worshipped  him  as  the  god  of  quiet  life,  repose  and 
secrecy.  He  is  described  by  Plutarch  as  lame  in  the  lower 
limbs  when  born.  He  is  represented  mounted  on  a  ram, 
which  carries  a  ball  upon  its  head,  his  left  hand  is  armed 
with  a  club,  while  he  presses  the  two  fore-fingers  of  the 
right  hand  upon  his  lips,  as  the  symbol  of  silence,  and 


78 


intimates  that  the  mysteries  of  religion  and  philosophy 
should  not  be  revealed  to  the  profane  or  uninitiated." 


Harpocrates. 

Earn — the  goat — was  worshiped  at  Mendes  as  sacred 
to  Osiris.  His  worship  was  similar  to  that  of  Apis,  the 
bull,  but  still  of  a  grosser  and  more  sensual  form.  The 
goat  was  to  the  Egyptians  the  symbol  of  the  productive 
power  in  nature. 


CHAPTER  XI. 

SIGNS,  SYMBOLS  AND  CEREMONIES. 

In  the  Voice  of  Masonry  for  1883,  we  find:  "Free- 
masonry is  a  science  of  morality  veiled  in  allegory  and 
illustrated  by  symbols.  *  *  *  A  symbol  may  be  de- 
fined as  a  pictorial  expression  of  a  thought,  or  of  an 
emotion  *  *  *  the  leading  and  most  valuable  sym- 
bols of  Freemasonry  have  descended  to  the  present  from 
the  remotest  past ;  they  are  the  same  that  were  exhibited 
to  the  Neophyte  on  his  journey  through  the  ceremonies 
attending  his  initiation  into  the  ancient  religious  mys- 
teries." In  the  same  magazine,  on  page  891,  we  read: 
"The  secret  meanings  of  Masonic  symbols  are  not  to  be 
found  in  the  printed  monitors  or  manuals  or  in  the  so- 
called  'Lecture'  explanatory  of  the  ceremonial  of  the 
lodge;  they  are  only  revealed  by  hints,  and  these  hints 
often  carefully  concealed  under  many  thick  veils." 

Says  Husenbeth:  "Freemasonry  being  confessedly 
an  allegorical  system,  all  its  points,  parts  and  secrets 
must  partake  in  common  of  its  emblematic  construction. 
Every  doctrine  and  ceremony  has  its  mystical  reference; 
every  landmark  its  legitimate  explanation.  But  there 
are  often  more  important  antitypes  than  those  which  are 
commonly  assigned,  and,  though  they  do  not  appear  on 
the  surface,  are  nevertheless  worthy  of  our  most  serious 
consideration."  (Cyclopaedia  of  Freemasonry.) 

"Freemasons  ever  endeavor  to  act  up  to  the  principles 
of  the  ancient  secret  societies,  and,  if  they  differ  in  some 


80 

points  from  the  practice  of  those  ancient  worthies,  it  is 
in  having  improved  upon  their  leading  principles,  by 
spreading  the  truth  more  extensively  over  the  globe." 
The  institution  of  the  mysteries  was  the  most  sacred  part 
of  pagan  religion  and  artfully  framed  to  strike  deeply 
and  forcibly  into  the  minds  and  imagination  of  the 
people. 

Says  William  Hutchinson :  "As  we  derived  many  of 
our  mysteries  and  moral  principles  from  the  doctrine 
of  Pythagoras,  who  had  acquired  his  learning  in  Egypt, 
and  others  from  the  Phrenicians,  who  had  received  the 
Egyptian  theology  in  an  early  age,  it  is  not  to  be  won- 
dered at  that  we  should  adopt  Egyptian  symbols.'' 
(Spirit  of  Masonry,  London,  1802.) 

Masonry  is  the  mother  of  all  other  secret  societies  as 
well  in  fact  as  in  name.  Consequently  the  mysteries  of 
the  ancients  serve  as  a  foundation  for  all  the  signs,  sym- 
bols, rites  and  ceremonies  used  in  secret  societies.  Now, 
as  Masons  deny  the  supernatural  and  place  the  natural 
order  supreme,  the  symbols  are  taken  from  the  natural 
order  of  things  and  a  nature- worship  and  naturalism 
established. 

The  sun,  moon,  signs  of  the  zodiac,  the  blazing  star 
and  other  astronomical  symbols  as  found  in  the  lodge- 
rooms  are  taken  from  the  ancient  mysteries.  Geometri- 
cal figures  and  lines  of  architecture  are  borrowed  from 
the  same  source.  The  rest  of  the  symbols  are  an  imita- 
tion of  the  present  religious  symbols  as  found  in  modern 
religions.  Whenever  these  symbols  are  mentioned  as  re- 
ferring to  the  Deity  or  Supreme  Architect  that  being  is 
not  the  God  which  Jesus  Christ  has  taught  us — not  the 
God  of  the  Christians — Father,  Son  and  Holy  Ghost.  In 
the  "Humanitarian"  for  March,  1897,  we  read  of  the 


81 

annual  meeting  of  an  Astronomical  society,  and  a  Mr. 
Alan  Leo  gave  an  address  in  which  he  said  that  "astrol- 
ogy was  built  upon  a  beautiful  symbology,  the  symbols 
of  which  were  the  same  today  as  at  the  beginning.  The 
circle  which  represents  the  sun;  the  half-circle  the  moon, 
and  the  cross  representing  the  earth.  A  cross  over  the 
circle  is  Mars  or  War;  a  cross  under  the  circle  Venus 
or  Love.  The  Sun,  Mars  and  Venus  represent  the  Spirit. 
In  the  half-circle  are  all  the  planets  referring  to  the 
mind.  A  cross  over  the  half-circle  is  Saturn  or  the  devil. 
The  half-circle  over  the  cross  is  Jupiter  or  Jehovah,  the 
Higher  Mind.  Every  person  is  born  under  some  influ- 
ence, and  the  study  of  astrology  enables  people  correctly 
to  see  the  qualities  that  are  in  them.  The  speaker  chal- 
lenged every  man  to  show  that  astrology  is  not  true; 
sooner  or  later  it  will  become,"  he  said,  "the  religion  of 
the  world."  (C.  W.  Heckethorn — Secret  Societies,  etc., 
page  328.) 


CHAPTEE  XII. 

THE  FIVE  PILLARS  IN  THE  LODGE  ROOM. 

The  Voice  of  Masonry  on  pages  567,  568  and  569  had 
this  to  say  ahout  these  pillars :  "In  the  city  of  the  Sun, 
Heliopolis,  in  ancient  Egypt,  there  was  erected,  about 
2,700  years  before  our  era,  a  temple  to  Amun-Ra,  the 
Sun-God.  Before  this  temple  there  stood  two  immense 
columns,  dedicated  to  Osiris  the  sun  and  Isis  the  moon. 
The  pillar  of  Osiris  was  eighteen  cubits  high,  referring 
to  the  highest  point  of  the  inundation  of  the  river  Nile. 
The  height  of  the  pillar  of  Isis  was  twelve  cubits  to  de- 
note the  twelve  signs  of  the  Zodiac  through  which  the 
sun  passes.  These  two  columns  are  symbolic  of  the 
whole  existence  of  mankind,  and  the  old  and  continuous 
struggle  between  light  and  darkness  in  which  the  right 
triumphs.  Here  then  was  the  sun  emblematic  of  activ- 
ity and  life,  and  the  moon  symbolic  of  sleep  and  death ; 
and  these  two  upright  columns  of  unequal  size  were 
placed  in  pairs  before  the  temple  to  signal  the  final  vic- 
tory of  light  over  darkness,  right  over  wrong,  righteous- 
ness over  evil. 

'•'***  The  two  deities,  Osiris  and  Isis,  sun  and 
moon,  produce,  govern  and  nourish  everything  connected 
with  the  visible  universe.  *  *  *  The  sun  is  the  father, 
the  moon  the  mother  of  all  things.  *  *  * 

"The  larger  column  in  the  East  is  near  the  Master  of 
the  lodge,  who  stands  in  the  East  and  represents  the  sun. 
He  rises  and  sets  his  men  to  work,  *  *  *  and  the 


83 

Senior  Warden  who  stands  on  the  West  represents  Isis 
paying  men  their  wages." 

In  the  mysteries  of  Osiris  and  Isis  the  bull,  Apis,  to 
which  divine  honors  were  paid,  p''  ~td  an  important 
part.  .He  is  symbolic  of  the  gene.  -ii  vc  power  in  na- 
ture, as  the  cow  is  symbolic  of  the  pi(  L'<  t  ,e  power. 

The  three  smaller  columns  are  thus  described  on  the 
same  pages :  "The  Corinthian  is  one  of  the  five  columns 
of  Freemasonry,  the  beauty  of  the  lodge.  It  is  the  col- 
umn indicative  of  the  loveliness,  the  poetry  and  splendor 
of  the  luxuriant  city  of  Corinth  in  rich  and  ancient 
Greece.  It  is  splendid  in  art  and  culture  as  the  old 
Corinthian  city  with  her  avenues  of  marble  and  bronze, 
her  gardens  and  groves,  innumerable  fountains  and  tem- 
ples. The  Corinthian  column  is  placed  in  the  south  of  the 
lodge.  It  may  aptly  be  termed  the  jewel  of  light,  be- 
longing to  the  Junior  Warden.  It  is  set  in  the  eyes  and 
the  care  of  the  youthful  Junior  Warden  to  perpetually 
remind  him  of  his  responsibility  in  bringing  the  initiate 
from  darkness  into  light,  unto  an  appreciation  and  un- 
derstanding of  the  beauty  of  the  principles  and  teachings 
of  the  Worshipful  Craft  of  Free  and  Accepted  Masons. 

''The  Doric  is  another  of  the  great  columns  of  Free- 
masonry, the  strength  of  the  lodge.  It  is  the  middle 
pillar  of  the  lodge  and  its  attributes  are  gracefulness  and 
strength.  A  massive  column,  without  the  ornamenta- 
tion of  the  Corinthian,  yet  gracefully  constructed.  The 
Doric  column,  strong  and  enduring,  is  the  chief  of  those 
marble  creations  which  made  Greece  famous. 

"While  the  Corinthian  column  is  beauty,  the  Doric 
column  is  symbolic  of  strength.  It  takes  its  name  from 
Dorus,  a  mythological  god,  said  to  have  erected  a  temple, 
or  caused  one  to  be  constructed,  dedicated  to  Juno.  The 


84 

Greeks  did  not  then  know  the  proper  proportion  of  a  col- 
umn, but  they  were  muscular  people  and  would  naturally 
make  a  strong  column:  moreover,  they  sought  to  make 
all  their  creations  picturesque,  being  lovers  of  art,  and 
so  it  was  the  purpose  of  their  masons  to  construct  a  col- 
umn which  should  not  only  be  strong  but  graceful,  hand- 
some and  enduring.  And  it  is  said,  to  carry  out  such 
ideas,  they  found  that  the  measure  of  a  man's  foot  was 
about  one-sixth  of  his  height,  and  upon  such  calcula- 
tions they  made  a  column  six  times  the  height  of  the 
foot  of  it.  So  that  the  Doric  column  has  the  proportion, 
the  strength  and  the  grace,  relatively  speaking,  of  the 
body  of  a  man.  The  Dorians  lived  in  the  southern  part 
of  Greece,  and  were  a  very  hardy  people,  claiming  to  be 
descendants  of  the  mighty  Hercules,  the  historical  prede- 
cessor of  Samson. 

"The  Dorians  and  Spartans  were  masters  in  the  south 
of  Greece,  and  there,  where  great  trees  grew  and  flour- 
ished, they  took  the  trunks  of  the  oak  and  the  olive  as 
the  first  support  of  their  houses.  Afterwards  came  the 
knowledge  of  carving  their  columns  out  of  marble  and 
then  they  wrought  the  massive  and  graceful  Dorian  tem- 
ples. But  the  chief  feature  of  the  Dorian  column  is 
strength,  and  therefore  it  is  placed  in  the  west  of  the 
lodges,  because  strength  is  the  characteristic  of  the 
Senior  Warden.  And  strength  in  Masonic  symbolism  is 
more  than  the  power  of  Hercules  and  Samson ;  it  is  the 
everlasting  moral  strength  and  towering  power  of  right ; 
it  is  the  upbuilding. uplifting  and  soaring  mightof  truth; 
it  is  the  spiritual  brilliancy  and  universal  luster  of  light. 
In  the  city  of  Acropolis,  in  Greece,  devoted  to  art,  science 
and  philosophy,  upon  a  mountain  there  stood  a  temple, 
a  Doric  temple,  named  the  Panthenon.  It  was  the  first 


85 

sight  which  met  the  gaze  of  a  traveler  going  towards 
Greece  and  it  had  withstood  the  assaults  of  time  for  more 
than  two  thousand  years.  It  is  an  example  of  great 
strength  with  the  grace  of  Grecian  architecture  with 
which  we  as  Freemasons  are  made  acquainted  through 
the  symbolism  of  the  Doric  column. 

"The  Ionic  is  the  last  and  most  important  of  the  three 
Grecian  columns.  It  is  one  of  the  richest  jewels  of  Ma- 
sonic symbolism  and  the  column  of  the  Worshipful  Mas- 
ter of  the  lodge.  The  Ionic  column  is  said  to  have  been 
copied  from  a  temple  built  to  Bacchus.  The  architects 
of  the  Ionic  column  lived  in  Ionia,  Greece,  and  they 
were  celebrated  for  their  learning  and  refinement. 

"Probably  more  buildings  of  modern  times  are  con- 
structed after  the  Ionic  style  than  any  other  order  of 
architecture.  The  style  is  simple  and  elegant,  a  fine  form 
in  a  beautiful  dress,  and  it  is  placed  in  the  east  of  the 
lodge  because  it  is  a  symbol  of  wisdom. 

"In  the  south  the  Master  became  acquainted  with  the 
beauty  of  the  Corinthian  column,  typical  of  the  classical 
beauty  of  the  women  and  art  of  lovely  Greece;  in  the 
west  the  Master  pondered  upon  the  strength  of  the  Doric 
column,  representing  the  matchless  skill  of  the  incom- 
parable athletes,  the  men  and  warriors  of  splendid 
Greece ;  but  the  philosophy  and  wisdom  of  that  gorgeous 
and  poetical  nation  is  fittingly  shown  by  the  perfection 
of  the  Ionic  column.  It  is  a  jewel  of  philosophy  and 
wisdom  and  it  belongs  in  the  east  as  a  helpmate  of  the 
Worshipful  Master,  to  remind  him  of  his  responsibility 
to  be  guided  by  philosophy,  and  his  duty  to  be  governed 
bv  wisdom." 


CHAPTER  XIII. 

THE  BLAZING  STAR. 

The  blazing  star  is  one  of  the  most  conspicuous  em- 
blems in  the  lodge.  It  refers  to  Sirius  or  the  dog-star. 
The  floods  of  the  Nile  in  ancient  times,  like  the  overflow 
of  the  Mississippi  in  our  days,  often  caused  serious  dam- 
age, carrying  off  cattle,  homes  and  people.  The  inunda- 
tion lasted  ten  or  twelve  weeks  and  often  longer.  The 
overflowing  left  behind  a  debris  which  fertilized  the 
land,  but  at  first  the  people  did  not  know  the  time  of  the 
annual  return  of  the  overflow.  They  observed  from  one 
year  to  another  that  the  overflowing  was  always  preceded 
by  an  Ethesian  (annual)  wind,  which,  blowing  from  the 
north  to  south,  drove  the  vapors  towards  the  source  of 
the  Nile  and  brought  the  rainfall  which  caused  the  over- 
flow. About  this  time  they  saw  in  the  morning  one  of 
the  most  brilliant  stars  ascending  the  horizon  a  little  be- 
fore sunrise.  That  star  became  the  public  mark,  on 
which  everyone  was  to  keep  a  watchful  eye,  not  to  miss 
the  instant  to  retire  to  higher  grounds.  As  it  was  seen 
but  a  very  short  time  above  the  horizon  towards  the 
dawn  of  day,  which  becoming  brighter  every  instant 
made  it  disappear,  the  star  seemed  to  show  itself  to  the 
Egyptians  merely  to  warn  them  of  the  overflowing  which 
soon  followed. 

They  gave  this  star  two  names  having  a  natural  rela- 
tion to  the  helps  they  borrowed  therefrom.  It  warned 
them  of  the  danger ;  whereupon  they  called  it  Thaaut  or 


87 

Tayaut,  the  dog ;  they  called  it  also  the  barker  the  mon- 
itor Amibis.  The  warning  given  by  the  dog-star  being 
thoir  most  important  concern,  the  Egyptians  from  its  ris- 
ing, anciently  dated  their  year  and  the  whole  series  of 
their  feasts.  The  Masons,  too,  date  their  New  Year 
from  the  rising  of  the  dog-star  and  count  the  years  from 
the  creation  of  Adam.  To  them  this  star  is  the  symbol 
of  prudence. 

The  "dog-days"  from  July  to  September  owe  their 
name  to  this  ancient  custom  of  Egypt. 

THE  CROSS. 

The  cross  in  the  lodge  room  is  not  the  sign  of  salvation 
through  Christ  but  a  pagan  emblem — the  Nilometer  of 
ancient  Egypt.  The  annual  overflow  of  the  Nile  caused 
the  fertility  of  the  soil,  and  the  more  extensive  the  inun- 
dation the  greater  the  fertility.  The  height  of  the  water 
was  measured  by  a  watermark  consisting  of  an  upright 
pole  and  a  cross-bar,  arranged  in  such  a  way  that  the 
cross-bar  was  raised  by  the  water,  but  could  not  move 
dmvnwnrd.  As  the  overflow  of  the  Nile  was  considered 
the  Salvation  of  Egypt,  the  Nilometer,  having  the  form 
of  a  cross  or  rather  the  letter  T  (tau),  came  to  be  looked 
upon  with  veneration  and  occult  powers  were  attributed 
to  it.  It  became  an  amulet  and  was  the  symbol  of  fecun- 
dity for  which  it  stands  in  the  lodge. 

The  letters  J.N.H.J.,  i.  e.,  Jesus  Nazarenus  Bex 
Judaeorum,  in  the  lodge  ritual  do  not  signify  Jesus  of 
Nazareth,  King  of  Jews,  but  "Igne  Natura  Renovatur 
Integra'' — "by  fire  nature  is  renewed,"  or  they  represent 
the  elements,  Earth,  Fire,  Air  and  Water. 


88 
SQUARE  AND  COMPASS. 

The  inundation  of  the  Nile  naturally  obliterated  the 
landmarks,  which  consisted  principally  of  the  holes  dug 
in  the  earth  at  certain  distances  forming  the  boundary 
line  of  each  state  or  division  of  property.  These  holes 
being  filled  with  the  alluvial  soil  brought  down  from  the 
mountains  of  Ethiopia,  when  the  waters  receded,  the 
whole  country  presented  a  level  surface,  and  nothing  but 
the  practical  assistance  of  geometry  could  possibly  deter- 
mine the  amount  and  locality  of  private  possessions. 
The  survey  was  preceded  by  a  great  festival  in  honor  of 
Osiris  and  Isis.  The  Nilometer  (cross)  was  carried  in 
procession,  and  also  the  square  and  compass,  the  instru- 
ments in  the  survey  of  the  land.  As  the  inundation 
lasted  about  three  months  it  gave  ample  time  for  the 
festival. 

The  square  and  compass  were  the  Egyptian  emblems 
of  justice,  because  by  their  use  as  instruments  in  the 
science  of  geometry  everyone  had  "his  old  land-mark" 
restored  to  him. 

The  compass  represents  also  the  male  generative  prin- 
ciple, the  square,  the  female  productive  principle. 


CHAPTEE  XIV. 

OTHER  EMBLEMS  AS  EXPLAINED  IN  "ODD-FELLOWS'  TEXT- 
BOOK AND  MANUAL." 

The  Eye. — "As  Odd-Fellows,  let  us  always  remember 
those  expressive  words,  that  cannot  be  too  deeply  im- 
printed on  our  minds,  'Thou,  God,  seest  me!'  For  the 
eye  of  the  Lord  is  in  every  place,  beholding  the  evil  and 
the  good. 

"We  may  also,  in  this  connection,  remind  ourselves 
that  'a  wholesome  tongue  is  a  tree  of  life;'  that  the 
SECRETS  we  have  promised  to  keep  inviolate  will  never  be 
divulged,  except  by  a  man  devoid  of  the  principles  of 
honor. 

The  Heart  and  Hand. — "The  command  of  our  law  is 
that  we  visit  the  sick,  relieve  the  distressed,  bury  the 
dead,  and  educate  the  orphan.  What  our  hands  find  to 
do  in  these  respects,  therefore,  we  should  do  cheerfully, 
with  the  whole  heart;  not.  grudgingly  and  unwillingly. 
True  friendship  goes  out  with  alacrity  to  the  service  re- 
quired of  it ;  and  heart  and  hand  should  go  forth  in  con- 
cert in  the  cause  of  suffering  humanity;  they  must  not 
be  divided  in  their  energies. 

The  Coffin,  Skull,  and  Cross-Bones. — "The  decree  of 
Heaven  is  'Dust  thou  art,  and  unto  dust  thou  shalt  re- 
turn.' We  all  await  the  inevitable  hour.  What  is  our 
life  ?  It  is  even  a  vapor,  that  appeareth  for  a  little  time, 
and  then  vanisheth  away.  Where  are  the  myriads  of 
the  human  family  that  have  lived  and  figured  on  earth  ? 


90 

They  all  sleep  with  their  fathers,  and  the  places  that 
once  knew  them  shall  know  them  no  more  forever.  Oh, 
let  us  reflect — let  us  seriously  meditate,  my  brother,  on 
these  monitors  of  "what  we  are  sure  to  be  and  what  wo 
may  soon  become.' 

The  Bee-Hive. — "The  industrious  man  seldom  suffers 
the  agony  of  want.  Even  though  his  labors  yield  him 
but  a  trifle,  he  is  content  in  the  knowledge  that  he  is 
doing  what  he  can  to  support  himself.  The  idler  is  an 
unhappy  wretch  who  drags  out  a  miserable  existence 
While  the  sleep  of  the  laborer  is  sweet  and  refreshing, 
that  of  the  idler  is  restless  and  unsatisfying.  No  man 
can  be  happy  unemployed.  No  matter  how  rich  he  may 
be  he  must  work  if  he  would  not  be  miserable.  This  is 
a  law  of  nature — it  can  not  be  successfully  resisted.  As 
members  of  this  order,  we  must  LABOR,  my  brother — if 
not  necessarily  for  ourselves,  then  for  our  fellows. 

The  Links  and  Axe. — "  'Friendship,  Love  and  Truth,' 
the  motto  of  our  Order — how  trite  it  has  become — and 
how  little  it  is  understood  and  practiced  by  many  who 
make  large  professions!  Yet  what  is  it?  Friendship, 
Love  and  Truth,  extended  towards  man  by  his  brother 
universally,  would  make  of  this  world  a  comparative  par- 
adise. It  would  turn  aside  half  the  ills  that  'flesh  is 
heir  to,'  and  produce  an  amount  of  happiness  that  would 
astonish  mankind  itself.  Friendship,  Love  and  Truth, 
my  brother,  is  no  unmeaning  expression.  Practice  them, 
and  you  at  least  will  derive  consolation  from  them.  Do 
not  imitate  the  theorizers,  who  preach  our  motto  through 
their  presses  and  from  their  rostrums,  and  who  have 
none  of  its  life  and  spirit;  but  go  out  among  your  breth- 
ren, and  make  them  feel  that  YOU  at  least  are  no  vain- 
glorious boaster,  whose  thought  is  only  for  the  loaves  and 


92 

fishes.      Perform  the  offices  of    Friendship,  Love    and 
Truth — do  not  merely  talk  ahout  them. 

The  Lamb. — "Innocence  is  one  of  the  loveliest  quali- 
ties which  adorns  human  nature.  The  corrupt  laugh 
at  and  affect  to  despise  it,  but  in  their  hearts  they  honor 
it.  The  temperate,  the  chaste,  the  benevolent,  and  the 
charitable  are  beloved  by  the  most  abandoned  wretches 
that  disgrace  humanity.  Innocence  of  wrong-doing 
commends  itself  to  all,  and  he  who  evinces  it  in  his  life 
and  conduct  may  command  the  confidence  of  the  whole 
world. 

The  Bundle  of  Sticks. — "  'In  union  is  strength/  is  a 
common  axiom.  We  must  be  united  in  this  cause  of 
Odd-Fellowship,  not  only  in  our  corporate  capacity,  but 
in  our  DEEDS.  A  single  individual,  if  he  labor  with  a 
will,  may  accomplish  much  in  the  field  of  fraternity; 
but  a  host,  united  in  solid  phalanx  in  the  service  of  be- 
nevolence, may  revolutionize  the  world.  If  the  two  hun- 
dred thousand  (this  was  years  ago)  Odd-Fellows  wi 
boast  of  in  numbers  were  to  go  forth  xo\v,  and  put  into 
practice  what  they  profess — if  they  would  labor  with  one 
heart  and  one  mind  in  the  highways  and  byways  of  life — 
how  soon  might  their  influence  pervade  the  earth,  crush- 
ing, withering,  annihilating  the  demands  of  Avarice,  and 
Lust,  and  Pride,  and  raising  man  to  the  high  and  holy 
estate  for  which  his  Master  designed  him  !  Brother, 
forget  not  your  obligations.  Wait  not  for  others,  but 
do  your  part,  though  you  may  be  but  one  rod  in  the  bun- 
dle." 

Quiver  and  Arrows. — "As  the  marksman  prides  him- 
self on  the  certainty  of  his  aim,  so  should  we,  in  a  higher 
and  more  noble  sense,  study  to  make  our  generous  deeds 
sure.  We  must  perform  our  good  offices  at  random,  but 


93 


96 

so  regulate  and  direct  them  as  to  render  them  serviceable 
at  the  proper  time,  and  place,  and  circumstance.  Thu?, 
unlike  the  Indian,  who  desires  his  bow  and  arrows  buried 
with  him,  that  he  may  possess  them  in  the  happy  hunt- 
ing-grounds where  the  Great  Spirit  dwells,  let  us  hope 
that  the  odor  of  our  benevolent  actions  shall  precede  us, 
and  trust  that  the  influence  of  those  actions  shall  be  felt 
and  realized  after  all  that  is  mortal  of  iis  shall  have  per- 
ished. 

Moses'  Rod. — "As  'the  great  lawgiver  of  the  Jews'  re- 
ceived his  authority  and  was  directed  by  the  Almighty, 
so  may  you,  my  brother,  by  the  same  authority  and  di- 
rection, go  forth  as  a  leader  in  the  cause  of  the  oppressed. 
Under  such  guidance  you  may  smite  with  power  and  ef- 
fect the  high,  thick  walls  of  Prejudice  which  shut  man 
away  from  his  fellow;  you  may  protect  him  from  the 
enemies  which  would  enslave  and  crush  him,  by  teaching 
him  to  follow  the  example  and  practice  the  precepts 
which  the  Jewish  leader  exhibited  and  inculcated. 

The  Dove. — "The  messenger  of  Peace  and  Good-will 
of  Promise  and  of  Hope,  what  lot  more  happy — more 
desirable — than  thine !  'Like  a  tree  planted  by  the  riv- 
ers, that  bringeth  forth  his  fruit  in  his  season,  thy  leaf 
shall  not  wither,  and  whatsover  thou  doest  shall  prosper.' 
Brother,  be  not  wearied  in  thy  progress.  Go  forth  ever 
in  the  cause  of  Friendship — bear  ever  the  olive-branch  of 
Peace  to  the  oppressed. 

The  Vrazen  Serpent. — "But  whilst  thou  shouldst  be 
harmless  as  the  dove,  thou  shouldst  also  be  wise  as  the 
serpent.  Suffer  no  man — brother  though  he  profess  to 
be — to  deceive  thee  by  false  tokens.  All  are  not  Odd- 
Fellows  who  take  the  name.  All  are  not  thy  co-laborers 
who  claim  to  be  so.  He  who  is  selfish,  or  avaricious,  or 


97 

uncharitable,  is  NOT  thy  brother.  Reform  him,  if  thou 
canst,  but  discover  not  to  him  thy  secrets.  Do  thy  own 
work — make  not  him  thy  partner  in  it. 

The  Ark  of  the  Covenant. — "The  ark  of  the  covenant 
contained  the  sublimest  instructions  ever  given  to  man. 
On  these  all  just  laws  have  been  founded.  On  these  have 
our  laws  been  built.  As  those  sacred  deposits  were  the 
object  of  respect  and  reverence  by  the  Jews,  so  likewise, 
my  brother,  honor  thou  the  teachings  thus  far  impressed 
on  thy  mind,  and  act  in  conformity  with  the  lessons  thou 
hast  learned. 

The  Scales  and  Sword. — "Let  us  weigh  well  and  truly 
our  conduct  and  our  actions,  and  suffer  the  balance  to 
be  a  just  one.  The  spirit  of  Justice  will  not  permit  us 
to  impose  false  balances.  If  we  have  erred,  therefore, 
we  must  not  screen  ourselves,  but  repent.  Nor  should 
we  screen  other  delinquents,  however  much  our  sympa- 
thy may  be  excited  in  their  behalf.  He  is  most  merciful 
who  enforces  justice  on  the  evil-doer,  for  it  is  for  the 
general  good;  better  one  suffer  than  many. 

The  Horn  of  Plenty. — "If  thou  art  or  shouldst  become 
blessed  with  abundance,  be  thankful,  not  in  words  mere- 
ly, but  in  DEEDS.  If  thou  hast  plenty  and  to  spare  and 
wouldst  be  happy,  give  of  thy  abundance  in  the  cause  of 
Benevolence.  So  shalt  thou  greatly  aid  in  carrying  out 
the  noble  designs  of  this  Fraternity. 

The  Bible. — "What  you  have  been  told  concerning  the 
sacred  deposits  of  the  ark  of  the  covenant,  might  be  ap- 
propriately repeated  here.  The  Word  of  God,  the  Book 
of  books,  is  the  source  of  all  true  wisdom,  Divine  and 
human.  It  is  a  "lamp  to  our  feet,  a  light  to  our  path,' 
and  contains  unerring  directions  and  counsel  for  every 


98 


100 

phase,  circumstance  and  condition  of  life.  Study  it,  my 
brother. 

Sun,  Moon,  and  Seven  Stars. — "The  sun  is  the  em- 
blem of  power  and  vigor;  the  moon  and  stars  are  not 
only  subordinate  to  it,  but  dependent  upon  it.  TRUTH 
is  our  great  light.  If  we,  in  the  course  of  our  pilgrimage 
here  on  earth,  realize  its  power  in  our  hearts,  permit  it 
to  control  our  actions,  and  in  our  turn  reflect  its  strength 
upon  others'  hearts,  we  shall  be  the  noblest  benefactors 
that  ever  blessed  humanity.  We  must,  as  Odd-Fellows, 
be  sincerely  wedded  to  TRUTH.  For  our  union  with  her 
shall  survive,  not  only  earth,  but  Time,  the  conqueror  of 
Death. 

The  Budding-Rod. — "And  the  Lord  spake  unto  Moses, 
saying,  Speak  unto  the  children  of  Israel,  and  take  of 
every  one  of  them  a  rod  according  to  the  house  of  their 
fathers,  of  all  their  princes  according  to  the  house  of  their 
fathers,  twelve  rods :  write  thou  every  man's  name  upon 
his  rod.  And  thou  shalt  write  Aaron's  name  upon  the 
rod  of  Levi:  for  one  rod  shall  be  for  the  head  of  the 
house  of  their  fathers.  And  thou  shalt  lay  them  up  in 
the  tabernacle  of  the  congregation  before  the  testimony, 
where  I  will  meet  with  you.  And  it  shall  come  to  pass 
that  the  man's  rod  whom  I  shall  choose  shall  blossom : 
and  I  will  make  to  cease  from  me  the  murmurings  of 
the  children  of  Israel,  whereby  they  murmur  against 
you.  And  Moses  spake  unto  the  children  of  Israel,  and 
every  one  of  their  princes  gave  him  a  rod  apiece,  for 
each  prince  one,  according  to  their  fathers'  houses,  even 
twelve  rods:  and  the  rod  of  Aaron  was  among  their 
rods.  And  Moses  laid  up  the  rods  before  the  Lord  in 
the  tabernacle  of  witness.  And  it  came  to  pass,  that 
on  the  morrow  Moses  went  into  the  tabernacle  of  wit- 


101 


102 

ness ;  and  behold,  the  rod  of  Aaron  for  the  house  of  Levi 
was  budded,  and  brought  forth  buds,  and  bloomed  blos- 
soms, and  yielded  almonds. 

The  Globe.— "The  globe  is  the  field  of  our  labor.  We 
should  not  pause  in  our  efforts  until  the  whole  world 
shall  be  made  happy.  We  should  carry  our  Benevolence 
and  Friendship  into  every  corner  of  the  wide  earth,  and 
into  the  remotest  islands  of  the  sea. 

The  Hour-Glass  and  Scythe. — ''While  we  have  been 
thus  pursuing  this  journey,  which  has  brought  us  at 
length  to  the  goal  we  set  out  to  reach,  the  sands  of  our 
life  have  been  falling,  and  we  are  nearer  the  'bourne 
whence  no  traveler  returns.'  Old  Time,  with  his  unerr- 
ing .scythe,  is  on  our  track — we  can  not  escape  him.  Let 
us  now  impress  this  truth — let  us  ENGRAVE  it  on  our 
hearts — that  there  is  not  a  moment  to  waste;  that,  in 
the  brief  probation  allotted  to  us  here  on  earth,  the,  good 
or  ill  we  accomplish  is  all  of  us  that  shall  live  among 
men. 

The  Altar  of  Incense. — "Let  thy  offerings,  brother,  be 
submitted  in  all  simplicity  and  purity  of  heart.  Imitate 
the  patriarchs.  Worship  thy  Maker  in  spirit  and  in 
truth.  Call  on  him  frequently — fhou  hast  need  of  His 
guidance.  Approach  His  altar  in  the  spirit  of  humility 
and  of  love,  and  ask  his  blessings,  not  only  on  thyself, 
but  on  thy  neighbor.  So  shalt  thou  find  favor  in  His 
sight,  and  insure  His  countenance  and  support. 

The  Patriarch's  Tent. — "The  patriarchs  of  old,  who 
dwelt  in  tents,  whose  employment  was  that  of  shepherds, 
and  who  passed  their  lives  in  the  inculcation  of  the  social 
virtues,  were  a  happy  because  they  were  a  good  people. 
Brother,  imitate  their  pure  example,  and  thou  shalt  find 
the  contentment  which  they  so  richly  enjoyed. 


103 


105 

The  Three  Pillars.— "Brother,  have  'Faith  in  God, 
Hope  in  immortality,  and  Charity  to  all  mankind.  'The 
greatest  of  these  is  Charity ;'  for  our  Faith  may  be  lost 
in  sight;  Hope  ends  in  fruition;  but  Charity  extends  be- 
yond the  grave,  through  the  boundless  realms  of  eter- 
nity.' The  chief  pillar  of  the  temple  we  have  reared  is 
therefore  Charitv.  Remember,  then,  that  on  this  mainly 
depends  our  superstructure,  and  fail  not,  faint  not  in  the 
practice  of  this  Godlike  virtue." 


OHAPTEB  XV. 

THE  MAGI. 

The  first  secret  society  of  which,  up  to  the  present 
date,  we  have  an  historical  account,  were  the  Magi  in 
the  eastern  part  of  Asia,  away  back  in  the  early  dawn 
of  history.  Aristotle  asserts  that  the  Magi  antedate  the 
foundation  of  the  kingdom  of  Egypt,  which  antedates 
the  time  of  Abraham.  Magus  or  Majus  is  derived  from 
Maya  or  Maja,  the  mirror  wherein  Brahma,  according 
to  Indian  mythology,  "from  all  eternity  beholds  himself 
and  his  perfections."  Magi  is  often  translated  "wise 
men."  as  in  the  Gospel  where  mention  is  made  of  the 
"wise  men"  who  came  to  adore  the  Messiah.  But  these 
three  wise  men  or  kings  did  not  belong  to  the  class  men- 
tioned in  this  article.  Some  writers  of  ancient  history 
assert  that  Zoroaster  was  the  founder  of  the  Magi.  Be 
that  as  it  may,  there  was  in  ancient  times  a  secret  society 
which  called  itself  the  Magi.  The  candidate  for  initia- 
tion was  prepared  by  numerous  lustrations  with  fire, 
water  and  honey.  He  had  to  pass  through  seven  stages 
of  initiation.  First,  he  beheld  a  deep  and  dangerous 
vault  from  the  precipice  where  he  stood,  into  which  a 
single  false  step  might  throw  him  down  to  the  "throne 
of  dreadful  necessity."  Groping  his  way  through  the 
mazes  of  the  gloomy  cavern,  he  soon  beheld  the  sacred 
fire  at  intervals  flash  through  the  recesses  and  illuminate 
his  path;  he  also  heard  the  distant  yelling  of  ravenous 
beasts,  the  roaring  of  lions,  the  howling  of  wolves,  the 


107 

fierce  and  threatening  bark  of  dogs.  But  his  attendant, 
who  maintained  a  profound  silence,  hurried  him  forward 
towards  the  quarter  whence  these  sounds  proceeded,  and 
at  the  sudden  opening  of  a  door  he  found  himself  in  a 
den  of  wild  beasts,  dimly  lighted  with  a  single  lamp. 
He  was  immediately  attacked  by  the  initiated  in  the 
forms  of  lions,  tigers,  wolves,  griffins,  and  other  mon- 
strous beasts,  from  whom  he  seldom  escaped  unhurt. 
Thence  he  passed  into  another  cavern,  shrouded  in  dark- 
ness, where  he  heard  the  terrific  roaring  of  thunder, 
and  saw  vivid  and  continuous  flashes  of  lightning, 
which  in  streaming  sheets  of  fire  rendered  visible  the 
flitting  shades  of  avenging  genii,  resenting  his  intrusion 
into  their  chosen  abodes.  To  restore  the  candidate  a 
little  he  was  next  conducted  into  another  apartment, 
where  his  excited  feelings  were  soothed  with  melodious 
music  and  the  flavor  of  delightful  perfumes.  On  his  ex- 
pressing his  readiness  to  proceed  through  the  remaining 
ceremonies,  a  signal  was  given  by  his  conductor,  and 
three  magi  immediately  made  their  appearance,  one  of 
whom  cast  a  living  serpent  into  his  bosom  as  a  token  of 
regeneration ;  and,  a  private  door  having  been  opened, 
there  issued  forth  such  bowlings  and  cries  of  lamentation 
and  dismay,  as  struck  him  with  new  and  indescribable 
emotions  of  terror.  On  turning  his  eyes  to  the  place 
whence  these  noises  proceeded,  he  beheld  exhibited  in 
every  appalling  form  the  torments  of  the  wicked  in 
Hades.  Then  he  was  passed  through  the  devious  laby- 
rinth consisting  of  seven  spacious  vaults,  connected  by 
winding  galleries,  each  opening  with  a  narrow  stone 
portal,  the  scene  of  some  perilous  adventure,  until  he 
reached  the  Sacellum,  or  Holy  of  Holies,  which  was 
brilliantly  illuminated,  and  sparkled  with  gold  and 


108 

precious  stones.  A  splendid  sun  and  starry  system 
moved  in  accordance  with  delicious  music.  The  Archi- 
magus  sat  in  the  east  on  a  throne  of  burnished  gold, 
crowned  with  a  rich  diadem  decorated  with  myrtle 
boughs,  and  habited  in  a  tunic  of  bright  cerulean  hue; 
around  him  were  assembled  the  prassules  and  dispensers 
of  the  mysteries.  By  these  the  novice  was  received  with 
congratulations,  and  after  having  entered  into  the  usual 
engagement  for  keeping  secret  the  rites  of  Zoroaster, 
the  secrets  were  imparted  to  him.  About  the  "Magi" 
of  today  the  following  from  the  Chicago  Tribune  for 
Sunday,  February  7,  1898,  is  self-explaining: 

"Quietly  established  in  the  heart  of  the  city  and  con- 
tinuing on  its  way  without  flourish  of  trumpets  or  undue 
blazonry  of  any  sort  is  the  Temple  of  Magi,  representing 
the  oldest  religion  in  the  world,  the  religion  of  the  stars, 
cr,  more  properly,  a  scientific  religion,  which  makes  it 
the  religion  of  the  entire  universe.  The  basis  of  this  re- 
ligion is  the  heliocentric  astrology,  and  it  is  applicable 
to  the  inhabitants  of  any  planet,  for,  according  to  the 
philosophy  taught  here,  there  are  other  inhabited  worlds 
than  ours — notably  Mars,  Venus,  and  the  moons  of  Jupi- 
ter, and  Uranus.  Eevealed  in  the  esoteric  secrets  of  the 
order  are  many  things  hidden  from  the  ordinary  ken  of 
man.  It  is  claimed,  for  instance,  that  messages  have 
been  flashed  from  these  other  worlds  to  ours  to  the  initi- 
ates of  the  order,  the  revelation  of  the  astral  light  shin- 
ing through  space  until  the  inhabitants  of  planets  other 
than  ours  have  sent  word  to  their  brethren  here. 

"There  is  no  doubt  at  all  about  other  planets  being 
inhabited,"  said  B.  C.  Peterson,  G.  M.  of  the  jurisdiction 
of  Chicago.  "Of  this  we  are  aware  and  have  full  proof. 
The  inhabitants  of  Mars  are  larger  and  more  advanced 


109 

in  intelligence  than  we  are  here;  those  of  Venus  are 
smaller  and  not  so  far  advanced  in  civilization;  and 
those  of  the  moons  of  Jupiter  and  Uranus  are  small  in 
stature  and  are  intellectual  pigmies,  together  with  an 
undeveloped  religious  sense.  I  cannot  say  that  this 
knowledge  is  obtained  in  any  one  way  in  our  order.  We 
study  the  heliocentric  system  of  astrology,  believe  in  the 
nebular  hypothesis,  and  we  believe  that  every  one  who 
enters  our  fold  will  find  the  grand  principles  of  mystic 
truth  and  a  satisfactory  solution  to  the  four  cardinal 
propositions  with  which  all  religions  deal — origin,  des- 
tiny, humanity,  and  divinity.  Our  order  is  a  school  of 
profound  wisdom,  not  a  college  for  polish  and  rhetoric. 
Many  of  our  best  members  are  independent  men  and 
women. 

"INTERIOR  is  IMPRESSIVE. 

"An  effort  of  the  occult  is  borne  in  upon  one  immedi- 
ately on  entering  the  temple.  The  atmosphere  is  that 
of  mysticism,  for  nothing  is  more  certain  than  that  the 
aura  of  the  worshipers  and  students  who  assemble  here 
invest  the  place  so  that  its  influence  is  perceptible  to 
others.  The  banners,  emblems  and  symbols  on  the  walls 
are  all  significant  and  of  immediate  connection  with  the 
order.  The  most  notable  are  the  nine  large  blue  charts 
or  banners  that  hang  on  the  walls,  each  covered  with 
strange  figures  and  pictures,  and  each  signifying  another 
and  progressive  step  in  the  occultism  of  the  order,  and 
also  representing  the  basic  foundations  of  the  system. 
These  charts  are  respectively  headed  Crucimacicus,  Mag- 
netic, Sidereal,  Taratology,  Planetary,  Formatic,  Nebu- 
lae, Geographical,  and  Comparative  Sizes.  Some  of  these 
charts,  and  others  that  appear  in  profusion  about  the 


110 

room,  are  covered  with  a  bewildering  array  of  figures  and 
symbols  that  cannot  be  understood  save  by  those  initiated 
into  the  secret  inner  orders,  and  it  is  not  possible  to  ob- 
tain any  account  of  their  significance  in  the  system. 
They  are  esoteric  and  their  real  meaning  is  never  di- 
vulged even  to  any  one  who  is  a  member  of  the  order  un- 
less he  takes  those  mystic  inner  and  secret  degrees. 

"There  are  altogether  twelve  of  the  outer  degrees,  all 
that  are  in  most  instances  taken  by  those  who  join,  for 
there  is  no  encouragement  given  to  undue  haste,  rather 
the  initiate  is  cautioned  against  impatience  and  is  coun- 
seled to  make  haste  slowly  and  master  one  degree  thor- 
oughly before  attempting  to  take  another.  These  degrees 
are  one  for  each  sign  of  the  zodiac,  beginning  with 
Libra  and  progressing  throughout  the  system.  The  price 
for  these  degrees  is  $5,  and  it  is  advised  for  each  one  to 
take  a  year  at  least  for  each  degree  in  order  to  master 
what  is  contained  in  it  well.  There  are  four  of  the  inner 
or  .secret  esoteric  degrees,  at  $15  each,  and  those  who 
rise  to  these  reach  a  state  of  wisdom  that  is  but  rarely 
vouchsafed  to  mortals  here.  The  foundations  of  this 
order  extend  into  the  mysteries  of  unknown  worlds,  dive 
into  the  secrets  of  earth  and  air,  of  fire  and  water,  of 
millions  of  undiscovered  suns,  pierce  the  farthest  re- 
cesses of  the  universe,  and  traverse  not  only  the  realm 
of  the  known  as  revealed  in  science  and  religion,  but 
also  the  unlimited  confines  of  that  world  of  mystery 
which  has  in  all  ages  been  the  goal  of  the  philosopher, 
the  mystic,  the  student,  and  the  seeker  after  truth. 

"KNOW  ALL  WORTH  KNOWING. 

"Viewed  in  the  vast  light  thrown  upon  life  and  the 
visible  world  through  the  interpretation  of  these  things 


Ill 

all  that  has  from  time  immemorial  been  transmitted  to 
man  by  books  and  histories  becomes  trivial  and  inconse- 
quential. By  the  side  of  the  truths  revealed  here  the 
Yedas,  oldest  of  all  the  Bibles  of  all  the  religions,  show 
that  even  they  but  partially  convey  the  truth,  for  part 
of  these  books  have  been  lost  or  mutilated  in  the  course 
of  ages,  and  they  originally  drew  much  of  their  informa- 
tion from  these  primary  sources  whence  the  students  of 
the  order  today  draw  their  information  as  from  a  well 
of  truth  at  first  hand.  The  foundation  of  this  order 
is  in  the  stars,  and  next  to  them  come  geology,  mathe- 
matics, and  chemistry,  and  on  these  is  built  the  super- 
structure of  the  order,  thus  making  it  a  universal  re- 
ligion, not  only  for  the  inhabitants  of  this  world,  but 
for  those  of  other  worlds  as  well.  In  taking  the  twelve 
degrees  before  mentioned  an  important  step  is  taken 
each  time  in  the  development  of  the  soul  and  mind,  for 
each  sign  of  the  zodiac  corresponds  to  some  portion  of 
the  human  body;  hence,  all  these  degrees,  when  taken 
together,  make  up  the  grand  solar  man,  with  Aries  the 
head  and  Pisces  the  feet,  meeting  in  the  lower  celestial 
meridian,  and  completing  the  esoteric  significance  of 
man  as  a  microcosm. 

"In  pursuing  the  study  of  the  planets,  many  curious 
things  are  discovered  in  connection  with  them.  For 
instance,  each  planet  has  its  own  distinct  color,  odor, 
and  humor,  and  also  each  one  has  certain  places  or  lo- 
calities apportioned  to  it.  Thus  Hermes  says  that 
there  is  nothing  like  the  fume  of  spermaceti  for  the 
raising  of  spirits,  so  that  if  a  fume  be  made,  of  sperma- 
ceti, lignum  aloes,  red  storax,  pepperwort,  musk,  and 
saffron,  all  tempered  together  with  the  blood  of  a  lap- 


112 

wing,  it  will  quickly  gather  airy  spirits  together,  and 
if  it  be  used  about  the  graves  of  the  dead  it  will  gather 
together  the  spirits  and  ghosts  of  the  dead. 

"Light  hplds  an  important  place  in  the  occult  signifi- 
cance of  the  inner  circle  of  the  Magi.  Originally  ema- 
nating from  the  divine  intelligence,  it  signifies  life,  ho- 
liness, purity,  the  visible  splendor  of. the  holy  of  holies, 
and  in  all  its  protean  changes  it  retains  throughout 
certain  relations  to  spiritual  qualities.  Since  the  most 
immediate  relation  we  can  hold  with  the  inhabitants 
of  other  worlds  is  through  the  communication  with 
other  planets,  the  worlds  of  our  own  system,  it  is  natu- 
ral that  every  color  should  have  its  value  in  relation  to 
these.  Thus  black,  brown,  and  earthy  colors  belong 
to  Saturn;  sapphire  and  airy  colors  and  those  which  are 
green,  purple,  golden,  or  mixed  with  silver  belong  to 
Jupiter ;  red,  flaming,  and  bloody  colors  relate  to  mars ; 
all  white,  fair,  golden,  and  bright  colors  relate  to  the 
sun,  and  ruddy,  saffron,  and  purple  relate  to  Venus, 
Mercury,  and  the  moon.  Each  sign  of  the  zodiac  also 
has  its  own  peculiar  fume.  To  Aries,  myrrh;  Tau- 
rus, pepperwort;  Gemini,  mastic;  Cancer,  camphor; 
Leo,  frankincense:  Virgo,  sanders;  Libra,  galbanum; 
Scorpio,  opoponax ;  Sagittarius,  lignum  aloes :  Capri- 
cornus,  benjamin ;  Aquarius,  euphorbium ;  Pisces,  red 
storax.  In  addition  "to  these  it  may  be  interesting  to 
give  here  the  famous  old  formula  of  the  great  Hermes, 
said  to  be  the  most  powerful  in  the  world,  compounded 
of  the  Seven  Aromatics,  according  to  the  powers  of  the 
seven  planets;  from  Saturn,  pepperwort;  from  Jupiter, 
nutmeg;  from  Mars,  lignum  aloes;  from  the  sun,  mas- 


113 

tic;  from  Venus,  saffron;  from  Mercury,  cinnamon; 
and  from  the  moon,  myrtle. 

"Just  what  relation  all  these  details  bear  to  the  order 
it  is  not  possible  to  tell  here,  as  the  intimate  mystic  sig- 
nificance they  bear  to  the  different  degrees  is  part  of 
the  secrets  of  the  Magi,  but  it  should  be  borne  in  mind 
that  not  the  slightest  matter  relating  to  every  fact  of 
nature  is  overlooked  in  this  system.  Everything  has 
its  meaning,  like  the  characters  of  the  old  Hebrew  al- 
phabet, which  are  known  by  all  the  wise  men  to  have 
the  greatest  efficacy  of  all,  because  they  have  the  great- 
est similarity  with  the  celestials  and  the  other  worlds, 
and  this,  too,  accounts  for  the  fact  that  the  original 
Hebrew  cannot  be  exactly  translated  in  any  other 
tongue,  because  the  very  form  of  the  letters  lose  some- 
thing of  their  value.  The  Chaldean  and  Greek  tongues 
also  observe  something  of  this  relation;  the  vowels  in 
the  Greek  answering  to  the  seven  planets,  and  the  rest 
are  attributed  to  the  twelve  signs  of  the  zodiac,  the  four 
elements,  and  the  spirit  of  the  world. 

"Numbers  are  not  less  mystical  and  important,  the 
great  mystical  number  being  142,857.  The  meaning 
of  this  occult  number  lies  far  within  the  study  of  the 
degree  of  taratology,  but  it  is  known  that  it  may  be  ob- 
tained in  the  following  manner:  If  we  should  start  all 
the  eight  planetary  bodies  of  our  solar  system,  Mercury, 
Venus,  Earth,  Mars,  Jupiter,  Saturn,  Uranus,  and 
Neptune —  among  which  are  exactly  twenty-eight  con- 
junctions, four  sevens — at  the  first  point  of  Aries,  each 
traveling  its  orbit  as  now,  the  sums  of  the  periods  of 
their  conjunctions  will  make  the  mystic  number  142, 
857. 


"  'It  may  be/  said  Mr.  Peterson,  'that  no  one  outside 
of  the  order  will  be  able  to  grasp  the  ideas  which  we  in- 
culcate from  a  long  and  involved  statement,  and  al- 
though our  ground  is  so  comprehensive  we  have  no  dif- 
ficulty in  giving  it  a  simple  formula  like  this : 

"Instead  of  God  we  use  the  word  0.  M.  The  univer- 
sal spiritual  intelligence. 

"Instead  of  creation  we  use  the  word  evolution. 

"Instead  of  the  word  Adam  we  use  the  word  proto- 
plasm. 

"Instead  of  a  new  born  soul  we  speak  of  a  reborn 
soul. 

"Instead  of  created  souls  we  speak  of  an  evoluted 
soul  force. 

"We  speak  of  the  other  side  as  the  astral  life. 

"Instead  of  the  resurrection  of  the  physical  body  we 
speak  of  the  reincarnation  into  new  forms. 

"We  believe  in  no  vicarious  atonement. 

"We  believe  that  each  being  must  work  out  his  own 
salvation.  We  can  only  offer  the  facts  of  science  and 
the  proven  laws  of  nature  and  life  in  place  of  the  dog- 
mas of  the  various  churches. 

"We  set  reason  ahead  of  faith,  and  knowledge  ahead 
of  unsupported  assertions. 

"These  propositions  form  the  basis  of  our  order,  and 
to  support  and  elucidate  them  we  are  able  to  call  upon 
all  the  truths  of  astronomy,  geology,  chemistry,  and 
mathematics,  thereby  coming  in  harmony  with  science 
where  revealed  religion  combats  it  at  every  step.  The 
world  is  slowly  but  surely  working  towards  better 
things,  a  more  rational  and  scientific  understanding  of 
the  great  truths  of  the  universe,  and  since  we  are  satis- 


115 

fied  that  sooner  or  later  all  will  come  to  us  we  never 
proselyte — it  is  against  our  principles.' 

"The  Order  of  the  Magi  is  a  secret  order,  as  much  so 
as  the  Masons;  no  meetings  are  public,  and  only  initi- 
ates attend  any  con-vocation,  hence  it  is  impossible  to 
describe  in  detail  any  of  the  rites  used  at  any  of  them. 
But  little  is  known  or  can  be  known  by  the  public,  but 
that  little  is  sufficient  to  show  the  deep  significance  and 
solemnity  of  the  convocations  and  the  initiations.  In 
the  center  of  the  temple  stands  the  altar.  This  altar 
is  covered  with  a  black  cloth  with  the  zodiac  embroid- 
ered on  it  in  gold.  In  the  four  corners  are  the  four 
suits  of  the  deck  of  cards,  the  diamond  for  the  quarter 
from  Libra  to  Sagittarius,  the  spade  from  Capricornus 
to  Pisces,  the  heart  from  Aries  to  Gemini,  and  the  club 
from  Cancer  to  Virgo.  These  cards  each  represent  one 
of  the  seasons  of  the  year,  and  the  secret  of  their  pres- 
ence in  a  temple  devoted  to  the  search  after  truth  is  one 
little  dreamed  of  by  modern  cardplayers  and  reads  like 
a  tale  out  of  a  story  book.  Cards  were  invented,  says 
the  authority  of  the  Magi,  over  20,000  years  ago  by  the 
Atlantesans,  the  inhabitants  of  the  lost  Atlantis,  and 
they  were  first  used  as  a  book  of  sacred  symbols  and 
were  never  intended  for  profane  purposes,  such,  for  in- 
stance, as  our  modern  whist  and  progressive  euchre 
parties,  poker,  and  such  uses. 

"This  degradation  of  cards  is  akin  to  black  magic,  and 
no  member  of  the  order  will  play  any  game  of  cards. 
They  have  an  astronomical  foundation,  and  an  astro- 
logical philosophy  runs  through  them  in  this  wise: 
There  are  thirteen  cards  in  each  suit,  because  there  are 
thirteen  lunar  circuits  in  the  year;  there  are  fifty-two 


lie 

cards  in  a  pack,  because  there  are  fifty-two  weeks  in  a 
year;  the  spot  value  of  all  the  cards  added  together 
makes  364,  the  number  of  days  in  a  year  in  the  old 
Gregorian  calendar,  and  the  joker  was  added  to  account 
for  the  extra  day  in  leap  year,  thus  accounting  for  the 
calendar  as  it  now  stands.  A  deck  of  cards  was  orig- 
inally called  the  Sacred  Text  Book,  and  by  far  the  most 
astonishing  claim  made  by  the  order  is  that  it  is  the 
book  carried  by  the  angel  in  Revelation.  The  chief 
prophecies  relating  to  the  order  are  found  in  Daniel 
and  Eevelation,  and  they  claim  that  the  mysterious 
prophecies  in  those  books,  concerning  which  theologians 
have  never  been  able  to  agree,  are  understood  and  in- 
terpreted only  in  the  order. 

"Each  spot  on  every  card  has  a  definite  meaning,  and 
one  of  the  first  things  the  candidate  does  in  receiving 
the  first  degree  is  to  have  his  birth  emblem  read  for  him 
to  discover  its  relation  to  his  life. 

"It  is  not  possible  to  tell  here  in  full  all  the  part  which 
the  cards  play  in  the  initiation  of  the  new  member  and 
in  the  unfolding  of  the  secrets  of  the  order,  for  they  are 
interwoven  everywhere.  Diamonds  mean  wealth  and 
power,  and  they  represent  the  autumn,  the  richest  sea- 
son of  the  year ;  the  spade  means  labor,  duty,  and  death, 
and  stands  for  winter;  the  heart,  ethics  and  religion, 
and  stands  for  summer ;  clubs,  life  and  energy,  and  rep- 
resents Aries,  the  lamb,  spring. 

''There  are  now  in  the  world  about  2500  members  of 
the  Order  of  the  Magi,  and  most  of  these  are  in  Amer- 
ica; their  identity  is  a  secret,  save  to  their  fellow-mem  - 
bers." 


CHAPTEE  XVI. 

THE    MITHRADES. 

The  Mithrades  of  ancient  Persia  had  their  secret  so- 
cieties and  have  imitators  to-dajf. 

On  the  Mithraic  monuments  we  find  representations 
of  the  globe,  of  the  sun,  the  club  and  bull,  symbols  of 
the  highest  truths,  the  highest  creative  activity,  the 
highest  vital  power.  The  principal  dogmas  as  revised 
by  Zoroaster,  are  as  follows :  From  the  beginning 
there  have  existed  two  beings,  Ormuzd  and  Ahriman, 
the  principles  of  the  universe.  Ormuzd  is  pure  eter- 
nal light,  the  spirit  of  beauty  and  love,  and  original 
source  of  perfection.  Ahriman  was  also  originally  of 
the  light,  and  so  far  good;  but  as  he  envied  the  light 
of  Ormuzd  he  obscured  his  own,  became  an  enemy  to 
Ormuzd  and  the  father  of  evil,  and  of  all  evil  beings 
who  joined  him  in  a  contest  with  the  good.  Ormuzd 
and  Ahriman  performed  the  work  of  creation  at  differ- 
ent epochs,  and  brought  into  existence  various  species 
of  beings.  Ormuzd  created  the  community  of  good 
spirits;  first  six  immortal  spirits  of  light;  then  twenty- 
eight  subordinate  spirits,  representatives  of  the  months 
and  days;  and  at  last  a  multitude  of  human  souls. 
Ahriman  produced  a  number  of  bad  spirits,  six  great 
spirits  of  darkness  and  a  large  number  of  bad  spirits  of 
a  lower  rank.  The  good  dwell  with  Ormuzd  in  the 
light;  the  bad  with  Ahriman  in  the  kingdom  of  dark- 
ness. 


118 

The  place  for  initiation  was  always  a  subteranean 
apartment.  A  ladder  with  seven  steps  led  from  one 
place  to  another,  by  which  candidates  ascended  to 
the  mansion  of  felicity.  The  probationer  had  to  un- 
dergo long  and  severe  trials  before  he  was  admitted  to 
the  full  knowledge  of  the  mysteries.  The  first  degree 
was  inaugurated  with  purifying  lustrations,  and  a  sign 
was  set  on  the  neophyte's  brow,  whilst  he  offered  to  the 
god  a  loaf  of  bread  and  a  cup  of  water.  A  crown  was 
presented  to  him  on  the  point  of  a  sword,  and  he  put  it 
on  his  head  saying:  "Mithras  is  my  crown."  In  the 
second  degree  the  candidate  put  on  an  armor  to  meet 
giants  and  monsters,  and  a  wild  chase  took  place  in  the 
subteranean  caves.  The  priests  and  officers  of  the 
temple,  disguised  as  lions,  tigers,  leopards,  bears, 
wolves,  and  other  wild  beasts,  attacked  the  candidate 
with  fierce  bowlings.  In  these  sham  fights  the  aspir- 
ant ran  great  personal  danger,  though  sometimes  the 
assailants  caught  a  Tartar.  In  the  next  degree  he  put 
on  a  mantle  on  which  were  painted  the  signs  of  the 
zodiac.  A  curtain  then  concealed  him  from  the  sight 
of  all ;  but  this  being  withdrawn,  he  appeared  surround- 
ed by  frightful  griffins.  After  passing  through  other 
trials,  if  his  courage  did  not  fail  him,  he  was  hailed  as 
the  "Lion  of  Mithras,"  in  allusion  to  the  zodiacal  sign 
in  which  the  sun  attained  his  greatest  power.  Then  a 
solemn  oath  was  administered  to  him,  binding  him  to 
secrecy  under  the  most  severe  penalties. 

The  Heptasophs  have  largely  borrowed  from  this  an- 
cient order. 


CHAPTEK  XVII. 

SECRET    SOCIETIES    IN    EGYPT. 

The  principal  seat  of  the  Egyptian  mysteries  was  at 
Memphis.  They  were  of  two  kinds — the  Greater  and 
the  Lesser,  or  the  former  taught  by  priests  of  Osiris 
and  Serapis,  the  latter  by  those  of  Isis.  The  candi- 
date was  required  to  furnish  proofs  of  a  pure  and  moral 
life  as  evidence  that  he  was  fitted  for  admission  or  en- 
rollment. "When  these  conditions  were,  fulfilled,  he 
was  required  to  spend  a  week  in  solitude  and  medita- 
tion, abstain  from  all  unchaste  acts,  confine  himself  to 
a  light  diet,  and  to  purify  the  body  by  frequent  ablu- 
tions and  severe  mortification  of  the  flesh.  Being  thus 
prepared,  the  candidate  was  ordered  to  enter  the  pyra- 
mid during  the  night,  where  he  had  to  descend  on  his 
hands  and  knees  through  a  narrow  passage  without 
steps,  until  he  reached  a  cave-like  opening,  through 
which  he  had  to  crawl  to  another  subteranean  cave,  on 
the  walls  of  which  he  found  the  following  inscription : 
"The  mortal  who  shall  travel  over  this  road  alone,  with- 
out hesitating  or  looking  back,  shall  be  purified  by  air, 
by  fire  and  by  water ;  and  if  he  can  surmount  the  fear  of 
death  he  shall  emerge  from  the  bosom  of  the  earth;  he 
shall  revisit  the  light,  and  claim  the  right  of  preparing 
his  soul  for  the  reception  of  the  mysteries  of  the  great 


120 

goddess  Isis."  At  the  same  time  three  priests,  dis- 
guised in  masks  resembling  the  heads  of  jackals,  and 
armed  with  swords,  sought  to  frighten  him,  first  by  their 
appearance  and  noise,  and  afterward  by  enumerating 
the  dangers  that  awaited  him  on  his  journey.  If  his 
courage  did  not  fail  him  here,  he  was  permitted  to  pass 
on  to  the  Hall  of  Fire.  This  was  a  large  apartment 
lined  with  burning  stuffs,  and  whose  floor  was  a  grate 
painted  flame  color;  the  bars  of  this  grate  were  so  nar- 
row that  they  offered  scarcely  room  enough  for  him  to 
cross.  Through  this  hall  he  was  obliged  to  pass  with 
the  greatest  speed  to  avoid  the  effects  of  the  flames  and 
heat.  Having  overcome  this  difficulty,  he  next  encoun- 
tered a  wide  channel  fed  from  the  waters  of  the  Nile. 
Over  this  stream  he  had  to  swim,  with  a  small  lamp, 
which  furnished  all  the  light  that  was  afforded  him. 
On  reaching  the  opposite  side,  he  found  a  narrow  pas- 
sage leading  to  a  landing  place  about  six  feet  square, 
the  floor  of  which  was  made  movable  by  mechanism  un- 
derneath. On  each  side  were  walls  of  rough  stone, 
and  behind  wheels  of  metal  were  fixed.  In  front  was 
a  gate  of  ivory,  opening  inward,  and  preventing  any 
farther  advance.  On  attempting  1<>  turn  two  lai'-v 
rings  annexed  to  the  door,  in  hopes  of  continuing  his 
journey,  the  wheels  came  into  motion,  producing  a  most 
stunning  and  tcrriffic  effect,  and  the  floor  gave  way, 
leaving  him  suspended  by  the  arms  over  apparently  a 
deep  abyss,  from  which  proceeded  a  violent  and  pierc- 
ing current  of  cold  air,  so  that  the  lamp  was  extin- 
guished, and  he  remained  in  complete  darkness.  In 
this  process  of  trial,  it  will  be  observed  that  the  candi- 
date was  exposed  to  the  actions  of  the  four  great  puri- 


121 

fying  elements — Earth,  Fire,  Water  and  Air.  After 
the  risk  of  falling  into  an  unknown  depth  had  con- 
tinued for  a  moment  or  two,  the  floor  resumed  its  orig- 
inal position,  the  wheels  ceased  to  revolve,  and  the  door 
of  ivory  flew  open,  disclosing  the  sanctuary  of  Isis,  il- 
luminated with  a  blaze  of  light,  where  the  priests  of 
that  goddess  were  assembled  drawn  up  into  two  ranks, 
clothed  in  ceremonial  dresses,  and  bearing  the  mystical 
symbols  of  the  Order,  singing  hymns  in  praise  of  their 
divinity,  who  welcomed  and  congratulated  him  on  his 
courage  and  escape  from  the  dangers  which  had  sur- 
rounded him.  The  entrance  to  the  sanctuary  was  con- 
structed in  the  pedestal  of  the  triple  statue  of  Isis,  Osiris 
and  Horus ;  and  the  walls  were  ornamented  with  various 
allegorical  figures,  symbols  of  the  Egyptian  mysteries, 
among  which  were  particularly  prominent:  1,  A  ser- 
pent throwing  an  egg  out  of  its  mouth ;  a  symbol  of  the 
production  of  all  things  by  the  heat  of  the  sun.  2,  A 
serpent  curled  up  in  the  form  of  a  circle,  holding  its 
tail  in  its  mouth;  an  allusion  to  eternity,  and  to  the 
uninterrupted  revolution  of  the  sun.  3.  The  double 
tau,  which  is  meant  to  represent  the  active  and  passive 
power  of  nature  in  the  generation  of  all  things.  There 
he  was  made  to  kneel  before  an  altar,  and  required  to 
pronounce  the  following  solemn  obligation:  "I  swear 
never  to  reveal  to  any  uninitiated  person  the  things  that 
I  have  seen  in  this  sanctuary,  nor  any  of  the  mysteries 
which  have  been  or  shall  be  communicated  to  me.  I  call 
on  all  the  deities  of  earth,  heaven,  and  of  the  infernal  re- 
gions, to  be  witnesses  of  this  oath ;  and  I  trust  that  their 
vengeance  will  fall  on  my  head  should  I  ever  become  a 
villain  so  base  and  perjured."  He  was  then  retained 


122 

for  several  months  in  the  temple,  where  moral  trials 
of  different  kinds  awaited  him.  The  object  of  this  was 
to  bring  out  all  the  traits  of  his  character,  and  to  test 
his  fitness  for  his  vocation.  After  he  had  passed 
through  this  trial,  then  came  what  was  called  his  Mani,;- 
festation.  This  consisted  of  a  number  of  ceremonies, 
of  which  the  novice  was  the  subject  for  the  space  of 
twelve  days.  He  was  dedicated  to  Osiris,  Isis,  and 
Horus,  and  decorated  with  the  twelve  consecrated  scarfs 
and  the  Olympic  cloak.  These  scarfs  were  embroid- 
ered with  the  signs  of  the  zodiac,  and  the  cloak  with 
figures  that  were  symbols  of  the  starry  heavens  as  the 
abode  of  the  gods  and  happy  spirits.  A  crown  of  palm 
leaves  was  placed  upon  his  head,  and  a  burning  torch  in 
his  hand.  Thus  prepared,  he  was  again  led  to  the  altar 
where  he  renewed  his  oath.  He  drinks  the  water  of 
Lethe,  presented  to  him  by  the  high  priest  to  forget  all 
he  ever  heard  in  his  unregenerated  state;  and  after- 
wards he  drinks  the  water  of  Mnemosyne  to  remember 
all  the  lessons  of  wisdom  imparted  to  him  in  the  mys- 
teries. Then  he  is  instructed  with  the  meaning  of  the 
signs  and  symbols  and  declared  a  person  who  has  been 
initiated  into  the  mysteries  of  Isis,  the  first  degree  of 
Egyptian  rites.  The  emblem  of  the  Order  was  a  scep- 
ter surrounded  by  an  eye,  to  signify  him  that  rules  and 
sees,  symbolical  of  the  sun. 


CHAPTER  XVIII. 

THE  ELEUSINIAN  MYSTERIES. 

Among  the  ancient  Greeks  the  most  famous  secret  so- 
ciety was  that  of  the  Eleusinian  mysteries.  According 
to  Clemens  of  Alexandria  the  Egyptian  Melampus  in- 
troduced them  into  Greece.  They  were  celebrated  in 
honor  of  Ceres,  the  Isis  of  Greece;  while  Osiris  appears 
as  Proserpine,  for  the  death  of  Osiris  and  the  carry- 
ing off  of  Proserpine  to  the  infernal  regions  smybol- 
izes  the  same  thing,  viz :  the  sun's  disappearance  during 
the  winter  season. 

The  applicant  for  admission  was  rigorously  examined 
as  to  his  bodily  health,  mental  capacity  and  mode  of 
life.  If  these  were  satisfactory  he  was  made  to  take  a 
solemn  oath  to  conceal  whatever  he  would  see  or  hear 
within  the  hallowed  precincts ;  and  he  who  violated  the 
obligation  was  not  only  put  to  death,  but  devoted  to  the 
execration  of  all  posterity.  Crowned  with  myrtle,  and 
enveloped  in  robes,  which  from  that  day  were  preserved 
as  sacred  relics,  the  neophyte  was  conducted  beyond  the 
boundary  impassable  to  the  rest  of  men.  Lest  any 
should  be  introduced  not  sufficiently  prepared  for  the 
rites,  the  Herald  proclaimed:  "Far  from  hence  the 
profane,  the  impious,  all  who  are  polluted  by  sin."  If 
any  such  were  present  and  did  not  at  once  depart,  death 
was  the  penalty.  The  candidate  was  then  presented 
naked  to  signify  his  dependence ;  a  calf  skin  was  thrown 


124 

over  his  shoulders  and  the  skin  of  new-slain  victims  put 
under  his  feet.  During  this  time  he  heard  beautiful 
music  and  the  singing  of  hymns  in  honor  of  Ceres. 
Suddenly  the  whole  scene  changes;  utter  darkness  sur- 
rounds him ;  a  low  deep  sound  rose  from  the  earth ;  the 
lightning  flashed,  mighty  winds  were  heard,  terrific 
thunder  broke  forth,  and  spectres  glided  through  the 
vast  obscurity,  moaning,  sighing  and  groaning.  Mys- 
terious shades,  the  messengers  of  the  infernal  deities — 
Anguish,  Madness,  Famine,  Disease  and  Death — flitted 
around;  and  the  explanation  of  the  Hierophant,  deliv- 
ered in  a  solemn  voice,  added  to  the  horrors  of  the  scene. 
This  was  intended  as  a  representation  of  the  infernal 
regions,  where  misery  has  its  seat.  As  they  advanced 
amidst  the  groans  which  issued  from  the  darkness  were 
distinguished  those  of  the  suicides — thus  punished  for 
cowardly  deserting  the  post  which  the  gods  had  assigned 
them  in  this  world.  Suddenly  the  bursting  open  of  two 
vast  gates,  with  a  terrific  sound,  dimly  displayed  to  his 
sight  and  bore  to  his  ears,  the  torments  of  those  whose 
state  was  everlasting  punishment  and  despair.  Onward 
proceeded  the  novice  and  was  soon  conducted  into  an- 
other region  that  of  eternal  bliss,  the  sojourn  of  the 
just — of  those  who  had  been  purified  and  whose  minds 
had  been  enlightened  by  the  "Holy  Doctrine."  This 
was  Elysium — the  joys  of  which  were  equally  unutter- 
able, equally  incomprehensible,  to  mortals  not  admitted 
into  the  mysteries.  Here  was  the  statue  of  Ceres  sur- 
rounded by  a  dazzling  light.  The  candidate  renewed 
his  oath  and  the  secrets  of  the  Order  were  imparted  to 
him. 


CHAPTER  XIX. 

THE  ANCIENT  DRUIDS. 

The  oldest  known  secret  society  in  Europe  was  that 
of  the  Druids.  Their  teaching  was  in  many  ways  simi- 
lar  to  that  of  Pythagoras  and  the  Magi  and  their  name 
may  have  been  taken  from  the  Gaelic  word  Druidh,  "a 
wise  man,"  or  "magician."  It  was  an  article  of  the 
Druidical  creed  "that  it  was  unlawful  to  build  temples 
to  the  gods,  or  to  worship  them  within  walls  or  under 
roofs."  All  their  places  of  worship  therefore  were  in 
the  open  air,  and  generally  upon  an  eminence,  from 
whence  they  had  a  full  view  of  the  heavenly  bodies,  to 
whom  much  of  their  worship  was  directed.  But  that 
they  might  not  be  too  much  incommoded  by  winds  and 
rains,  distracted  by  the  view  of  external  objects,  or  dis- 
turbed by  the  intrusion  of  unhallowed  feet,  while  they 
were  instructing  their  disciples,  or  performing  their  re- 
ligious rites,  they  made  choice  of  the  deepest  recesses 
of  groves  and  woods  for  their  sacred  places.  These 
groves  were  planted,  for  that  purpose,  in  the  most 
proper  situations  and  with  those  trees  in  which  they 
most  delighted.  The  chief  of  these  was  the  strong  and 
spreading  oak,  for  which  tree  the  Druids  had  a  very 
high  and  superstitious  veneration.  The  elder  Pliny 
tells  us  that  whatever  grew  on  that  tree  was  considered 
by  the  Druids  a  gift  from  heaven,  more  especially  the 
mistletoe.  When  thus  found  it  was  cut  with  a  golden 


126 

knife  by  a  priest  clad  in  white  robe,  two  white  bulls  be- 
ing sacrificed  on  the  spot.  The  name  given  it  by  the 
Druids  meant  "All-Heal"  and  its  virtues  were  believed 
to  be  very  great.  Two  other  herbs  called  selago  and 
samulos,  were  likewise  greatly  valued  by  them  for  their 
medicinal  qualities.  But  the  most  remarkable  of  all  the 
Druid  charms  was  the  anguineum,  or  snakes'  egg.  It 
was  said  to  be  produced  from  the  saliva  and  frothy 
sweat  of  a  number  of  serpents  writhing  in  an  entangled 
mass,  and  to  be  tossed  up  in  the  air  as  soon  as  formed. 
The  fortunate  Druid  who  managed,  as  it  fell,  to  catch 
it  in  his  sagum  or  cloak,  rode  off  at  full  speed  on  a 
horse  that  was  in  waiting,  pursued  by  the  serpents  till 
they  were  stopped  by  an  intervening  stream. 

The  Druids  taught  transmigration  of  the  soul  in  the 
same  way  as  Pythagoras.  They  entertained  great  ven- 
eration for  the  numbers  three,  seven,  nineteen  and  one 
hundred  and  forty-seven,  produced  by  multiplyig  the 
square  of  seven  by  three.  Their  chief  deities  are  reduc- 
ible to  two — a  male  and  a  female,  the  great  father  and 
mother — Hu  and  Ceridwen,  distinguished  by  the  same 
characteristics  as  belonged  to  Osiris  and  Isis,  or  any 
other  supreme  god  and  goddess  representing  the  two 
principles  of  all  being.  The  grand  periods  of  initiation 
were  quarterly  and  determined  by  the  course  of  the  sun, 
and  his  arrival  at  the  equinoctial  and  solstitial  points. 
The  solemn  initiations  were  performed  at  midnight,  and 
contained  three  degrees,  the  first  or  lowest  being  the 
Eubates,  the  second  the  Bards,  and  the  third  the  Dru- 
ids. The  place  of  initiation  was  called  Goer  Sidi.  The 
adytum  or  ark  of  the  mysteries  was  called  a  cromlech  or 
dolmen,  and  was  used  as  the  sacred  Pastos.  or  place  of 


127 

regeneration.  It  consisted  of  three  upright  stones,  as 
supporters  of  a  broad,  flat  stone  laid  across  the  top,  so 
as  to  form  a  small  cell.  The  candidate  was  first  placed 
in  a  coffin,  where  his  symbolical  death  represented  the 
death  of  Hu,  or  the  sun,  and  his  restoration  in  the  third 
degree  symbolized  the  resurrection  of  the  sun.  He  had 
to  undergo  similar  trials  as  the  applicants  in  the  east- 
ern countries.  A  solemn  oath  was  administered  to  him 
on  a  naked  sword,  and  he  ratified  it  by  drinking  meat 
out  of  ^a  human  skull.  A  sprig  of  spruce  was  the  badge. 
The  Druids  lasted  till  the  fourth  century,  when  the  last 
of  them  were  converted  to  Christianity,  only  in  Ireland 
and  England  remnants  remained  till  the  time  of  St. 
Patrick  and  St.  Augustine. 

Upon  the  model  of  ancient  Druidism  are  founded  the 
different  secret  societies  known  as  the  American  Order 
of  Druids,  the  Ancient  Order  of  Druids  and  the  United 
Ancient  Order  of  Druids.  The  first  modern  Druid  Or- 
der was  founded  in  London  in  1781,  and  spread  to  the 
United  States  in  1834,  and  in  1872  the  Order  was  in- 
troduced from  America  to  Germany. 


CHAPTER  XX. 

SECRET  SOCIETIES  IN  IRELAND. 

In  my  book,  "100  -Tage  in  Europa,"  describing  my 
visit  to  Ireland  in  the  fall  of  1894,  and  speaking  about 
the  persecution  the  people  of  Ireland  had  to  endure 
for  centuries,  I  say  on  page  22  ft',  that  I  could  easily 
understand,  how,  in  order  to  get  rid  of  an  offensive  gov- 
ernment, the  people  of  Ireland  associated  in  political 
secret  societies;  and,  that  for  this  reason  the  Irish- 
American  is  more  favorably  inclined  to  affiliate  himself 
with  secret  organizations. 

Therefore  I  deem  it  expedient  to  give  a  brief 
history  of  secret  societies  in  Ireland  and  their  offsprings 
in  this  country.  What  I  have  to  say  is  based  on  histor- 
ical documents. 

In  the  history  of  Ireland  we  find  that  during  the 
middle  of  the  eighteenth  century  the  peasant  tenants 
were  deprived  by  their  landlords  of  the  right  of  free 
pasture  for  their  cows,  and  that  fiscal  oppression  was 
also  very  great.  A  society  was  formed  calling  itself  the 
"White  Boys,"  ta'king  its  name  from  the  fact  that  the 
members  wore  over  their  dress  a  white  shirt  in  order  to 
disguise  themselves.  The  object  of  this  society  was  pri- 
marily to  cut  down  fences  and  enclosures  around  pas- 
tures. They  also  called  themselves  "Levellers,"  but  on 
account  of  the  many  excesses  they  committed  were  dis- 
solved and  about  1787  replaced  by  the  "Right  Boys." 


129 

This  society  aimed,  by  legal  means,  to  obtain  the  reduc- 
tion of  taxes,  higher  wages,  the  abolition  of  degrading 
personal  services  and  the  erection  of  a  Eoman  Cath- 
olic Church  for  every  Protestant  Church  in  Ireland. 
The  penal  laws  were  still  on  the  statute  books,  and 
Catholics  were  not  eligible  to  offices  of  trust;  were  not 
allowed  to  serve  in  the  army  or  navy,  nor  to  possess 
arms,  nor  to  exercise  many  other  rights  of  citizenship. 
The  American  Eevolution  had  its  effect  upon  the  op- 
pressed of  Ireland,  and,  when  the  French  Eevolution 
broke  out,  the  people  of  Ireland  hailed  it  as  the  dawn 
of  their  own  independence.  The  "Eight  Boys"  became 
quite  powerful  in  political  affairs,  and  as  they  were 
composed  of  only  Catholics,  Protestants  formed  soci- 
eties of  their  own.  The  first  one  of  them  called  itself 
the  "Oak  Boys,"  taking  for  their  emblem  the  oak  leaves. 
When  this  association  could  not  obtain  by  legal  means 
what  it  aimed  at,  it  had  recourse  to  arms,  and  was  de- 
feated by  the  troops  of  England.  Numerous  societies 
arose  about  1790  in  Ireland,  especially  the  "Heart  of 
Steel,"  so-called  in  order  to  indicate  their  perseverance 
with  which  they  intended  to  pursue  the  revenge  against 
those  who  had  succeeded  the  ejected  tenants  on  land,  by 
murdering  them,  burning  their  farms,  and  destroying 
their  harvest.  The  "Threshers"  objected  to  what  they 
called  the  exorbitant  dues  claimed  by  clergymen  of  both 
creeds.  Then  arose  the  "Break-of-Day  Boys/'  who  at 
dawn  of  day  committed  all  sorts  of  excesses  against 
Eoman  Catholics,  burning  their  huts  and  destroying 
their  agricultural  implements  and  produce.  Eeligious 
animosity  being  thus  aroused,  the  Catholics 'formed  the 
societies  of  the  "Defenders,"  and  the  "United  Irishmen," 


130 

and  they  called  upon  France  for  aid.  The  recourse  to 
arms  contemplated  by  them  was  brought  to  a  premature 
culmination  by  the  English  government.  In  March, 
1798,  Ireland  was  declared  under  martial  law  by  the 
viceroy,  Lord  Camden,  and  in  the  uprising  which  fol- 
lowed a  civil  war  ensued,  lasting  for  over  five  months, 
at  the  cost  to  England  of  $200,000,000  and  about 
20,000  men. 

Though  the  "United  Irishmen"  were  defeated,  the 
society  reappeared  under  the  name  of  "Ribbonmen," 
so-called  because  they  recognized  each  other  by  certain 
ribbons.  As  the  "Ribbonmen"  were  composed  of  Cath- 
olics, the  Protestants  organized  the  "Orangemen." 
These  two  opposing  bodies  were  soon  involved  in  fierce 
hostilities  with  each  other,  and  nearly  all  the  peasantry, 
for  a  time,  belonged  to  either  the  one  or  the  other. 
From  the  ranks  of  the  "Ribbonmen"  issued  a  new  so- 
ciety called  "St.  Patrick's  Boys."  Their  oath  was:  "I 
swear  that  my  right  hand  be  cut  off  and  be  nailed  to  the 
door  of  the  prison  at  Armagh,  rather  than  to  deceive  or 
betray  a  brother ;  and  to  persevere  in  the  cause  to  which 
I  deliberately  devote  myself;  to  pardon  neither  sex  nor 
age,  should  it  be  in  the  way  of  my  vengeance  against 
the  Orangemen." 


CHAPTER  XXI. 

THE  ORANGEMEN, 

When  founded  in  Ireland,  in  1795,  was  a  secret  politi- 
cal society  composed  entirely  of  Protestants.  The  name 
was  taken  in  honor  of  King  William  the  Third,  Prince 
of  Orange.  The  professed  object  of  the  society  was  "to 
support  and  defend  the  reigning  sovereign  of  Great 
Britain  and  Ireland,  and  the  succession  to  the  throne 
in  the  present  royal  family  as  long  as  it  remains  Pro- 
testant." Workingmen  and  men  without  much  wealth 
joined  the  society  at  first,  but  when  the  society  spread 
rapidly  over  Ireland,  England  and  the  British  posses- 
sions, people  of  all  classes  began  to  seek  initiation.  The 
society  felt  itself  so  strong  in  Canada  in  1860  that  it 
attempted  to  compel  the  Prince  of  Wales,  during  his 
visit  there,  to  recognize  the  order  and  to  pass  under 
its  arches  and  banners,  which  the  Prince,  however,  re- 
fused to  do. 

Though  the  society  met  with  much  opposition  from 
the  British  House  of  Commons,  it  has  still  much  influ- 
ence in  England  and  her  possessions.  To  concede  some- 
thing to  the  spirit  of  the  age  and  American  principles, 
members  of  the  society  in  the  United  States  proclaim 
themselves  theoretically  the  friends  of  religious  tolera- 
tion, but  facts  have  shown,  within  my  own  personal 
observations,  this,  as  in  most  similar  cases,  to  be  a  mere 
delusion. 


CHAPTER  XXII. 

THE  FENIANS. 

Agitation  for  separating  Ireland  from  England  has 
been  kept  up  for  over  one  hundred  years  by  the  people 
of  Ireland,  not  only  at  home  on  the  island  itself,  but 
wherever  Irish  emigrants  made  their  home  on  the  face 
of  the  earth.  The  different  societies  mentioned  before 
being  defective  and  not  successful,  new  organizations 
arose  to  take  their  place. 

In  1857  the  "Phoenix  Society"  in  Ireland  was  reor- 
ganized in  the  United  States  under  the  name  of  "Irish 
Revolutionary  Brotherhood,"  "Nationalists"  or  "Fenian 
Brotherhood."  The  name  may  have  been  taken  in 
honor  of  Fingal,  also  named  Finn  or  Fionn  of  Ossian, 
a  commander  of  an  Irish  home  guard  or  militia  which 
existed  in  the  Third  Century.  Although  the  chief  of- 
ficers of  the  Order  in  the  United  States  were  known,  the 
society  was  from  the  very  start,  a  secret  one.  It  spread 
rapidly  over  every  state  in  the  American  Union  and  the 
British  possessions.  In  1803  a  great  convention  of 
delegates  of  the  order  met  in  Chicago  and  avowed  the 
object  of  the  Brotherhood,  namely  the  separation  of 
Ireland,  from  England,  and  the  establishment  of  an 
Irish  Republic.  The  delegates  represented  fifteen  thou- 
sand enrolled  Fenians/  one-half  of  whom  were  in  the 
Union  army.  The  assembly  proclaimed  the  Fenian 
Brotherhood  to  be  strictly  in  accordance  with  the  laws 
of  the  United  States,  ignored  partisan  politics  and  dif- 


133 

ferences  of  religion,  and  declared  the  Irish  people  to  be 
a  distinct  nationality  with  James  Stephens  as  pres- 
ident: to  whom  with  central  officers  elected  by 
an  annual  congress,  state  officers  elected  by  state 
organizations,  and  centers  elected  by  circles,  the 
directions  of  affairs  should  be  entrusted.  The  second 
Fenian  Congress  met  in  Cincinnati  in  1865  and  about 
250,000  members  were  represented,  each  of  which  mem- 
bers was  called  upon  for  a  contribution  of  five  dollars, 
and  it  is  said  that  this  call  was  responded  to.  About 
the  same  time  a  Fenian  Sisterhood  was  established,  and 
the  ladies  were  not  inactive,  for  in  two  months  from 
their  associating  they  returned  upward  of  a  million 
dollars  to  the  Fenian  exchequer  for  the  purpose  of  pur- 
chasing arms  and  other  war  material.  The  surrender 
of  the  confederate  armies  and  the  disbandment  of  the 
Union  forces  left  free  those  Irish  officers  and  soldiers 
on  whom  were  mainly  centered  the  expectation  of  the 
revolutionists.  Many  of  the  officers  went  to  Great 
Britain  and  soon  spread  their  principles  among  the 
British  troops.  The  "Fenian  conspiracy"  spread  rap- 
idly over  England,  Ireland  and  the  British  possessions. 

On  the  eighth  of  September,  1865,  a  proclamation 
from  Stephens  was  circulated  stating  that  the  time  for 
action  had  come.  "I  speak  with  a  knowledge  and  au- 
thority to  which  no  other  man  could  pretend,"  he  says, 
and  concluding :  "The  flag  of  Ireland,  of  the  Irish  Re- 
public must  this  year  be  raised." 

In  the  United  States  an  army  of  Fenians  was  organ- 
ized and  marched  into  Canada,  but  was  defeated  by  the 
British  troops.  For  several  years  efforts  were  made  to 
compel  England  to  concessions  for  the  independence  of 
Ireland,  but  without  success.  The  society  had  its  oaths, 


134 

pass-words,  emblems,  its  laws  and  penalties,  its  con- 
cealed stores  of  arms,  its  nightly  drills,  its  correspond- 
encies and  agents,  its  journals,  and  even  its  popular 
songs  and  ballads,  and  plenty  of  money  in  the  hands 
of  its  leaders  who  drew  large  salaries. 

The  Irish  Bishops  repeatedly  warned  their  people 
against  joining  the  Fenians  and  many  of  them  publicly 
denounced  the  society  as  a  secret  one  whose  principles 
were  forbidden  b}'  Catholic  morals. 

On  January  12,  1870,  the  Eoman  authorities  issued 
a  decree  forbidding  all  Catholics  to  become  members  of 
the  Fenian  Brotherhood. 

The  "Molly  Maguires"  were  a  secret  society  which, 
both  in  Ireland  and  the  United  States,  was  accused  of 
many  outrages  during  the  years  from  1863  to  1875. 
Clan-na-Gael  is  the  name  of  the  latest  Irish  society 
which  according  to  theLeCaron  in  his"Twenty-five  years 
in  the  Secret  Service,"  was  organized  with  a  "Masonic 
form  of  ritual,  grips,  signs,  pass-words,  and  terrorizing 
penalties."  The  Clan  announces  itself  to  be:  "The 
vanguard  and  embodiment  of  Irish  nationality,  the  mo- 
tive pcwer  which  animates  and  regulates  the  Irish 
struggle,  and  has  nobly  kept  the  national  flag  and  na- 
tional principles  to  the  front  in  dark  and  evil  days." 
Though  the  membership  is  not  very  large,  the  Order  is 
manipulating  its  forces  in  various  ways  to  further  its 
objects. 


CHAPTBB  XXIII. 

THE  CARBONARI. 

Centuries  ago  the  wood-choppers  and  charcoal-burn- 
ers of  the  forests  of  Germ  airy,  France  and  Switzerland 
had  a  kind  of  union  among  therneslves  for  their  mutual 
protection  against  robbers  and  enemies.  In  the  French 
department  of  Jura  the  hewers  of  wood  called  them- 
selves "le  bon  cousinage"  (the  good  cousinship)  and 
this  society  spread  into  Italy  during  the  time  of  the 
first  Napoleon.  Refugees  from  political  feuds,  victims 
of  tyrannical  rulers,  revolutionary  leaders,  and  escaped 
prisoners  often  made  their  homes  among  these  dwellers 
of  the  forests  and  employed  themselves  in  cutting  wood 
and  making  charcoal.  Under  pretense  of  carrying  it 
for  sale,  they  introduced  themselves  into  the  villages 
and  bearing  the  name  colliers,  carbonajo,  or  Carbon- 
ari, they  easily  met  their  partisans  and  mutually  com- 
municated their  different  plans.  They  recognized  each 
other  by  signs,  grips,  and  pass-words.  Whem  Napoleon 
I.  had  invaded  Italy  the  Carbonari  declared  themselves 
a  political  society  determined  to  free  Italy  from  the  for- 
eign intruder.  Gradually  the  leaders  avowed  an  Ital- 
ian .Republic,  and  when  the  expelled  dynasty  was  rein- 
stated upon  the  throne  of  Naples,  they  assumed  an  atti- 
tude of  uncompromising  hostility  against  monarchism. 
Their  program  was :  "Italy  shall  be  free  and  inde- 
pendent. Its  boundaries  shall  be  the  three  seas  and 
the  Alps.  Corsica,  Sardinia,  Sicily,  the  seven  islands 


136 

along  the  coast  of  the  Mediterranean,  Adriatic,  and 
Ionian  seas,  shall  form  an  integral  part  of  the  Roman 
Empire  of  which  Home  shall  he  the  capital."  The 
reigning  sovereigns  were  to  be  disposed  of  and  at  the 
death  of  the  Pope  the  society  was  to  take  hold  of  the 
Papal  states  and  the  College  of  Cardinals  was  to  be  abol- 
ished. The  new  Italy  was  to  be  called  by  its  ancient 
Latin  name,  Ausonia.  All  means  leading  to  their  ob- 
ject were  deemed  jnst.  Though  in  their  aggressions 
against  the  ruling  sovereigns  the  Carbonari  were  de- 
feated and  their  leaders  arrested  and  the  organization 
disbanded,  their  principles  found  followers  and  their 
aim  an  apparent  realization  when  on  October  8,  1870, 
Victor  Emanuel  declared  himself  in  a  manifestal  from 
the  Quirinal  at  Home.  King  of  United  Italy. 

The  Carbonari  had  three  degrees  of  fellowship.  Ac- 
cording to  their  ritual  the  places  of  their  meetings  were 
called  barraca  or  collier's  hut;  the  interior  of  the  bar- 
raca  was  called  the  vendita  (from  the  sale  of  coals)  and 
its  arrangements  most  simple.  At  the  end  of  the  barn- 
£haped  vendita  there  must  be  three  blocks  of  wood,  each 
supported  by  three  legs,  for  the  Grand  Master  and  his 
two  assistants.  On  the  block  for  the  Grand  Master 
there  must  be  the  following  symbols:  A  linen  cloth, 
water,  salt,  a  cross,  leaves,  sticks,  fire,  earth,  charcoal, 
a  crown  of  white  thorns,  a  ladder,  a  long  pole,  a  shovel, 
a  ball  of  thread,  three  ribbons — one  blue,  one  red,  and 
one  black.  A  furnace  and  a  tree  with  the  roots  in  the 
air  finish  the  symbolic  furniture.  There  must  be  an  il- 
luminated triangle  on  the  right  and  left  with  the  arms 
of  the  vendita  and  the  initial  letter  of  the  pass-word  of 
the  first  degree.  The  Grand  Master*  and  the  two  as- 
sistants hold  hatchets  in  their  hands.  The  members 


137 

sit  along  the  walls  on  wooden  benches  without  backs. 
The  symbols  are  thus  explained :  The  furnace  is  the 
collective  work  at  which  the  Carbonari  labor;  the  sacred 
fire  they  keep  alive  is  the  flame  of  liberty  with  which 
they  desire  to  illumine  the  world.  Charcoal  is  the 
fountain  of  light  and  warmth  that  purifies  the  air.  The 
tree  with  the  roots  in  the  air  is  a  figure  of  kingdoms  de- 
stroyed and  thrones  overthrown.  The  cross  serves  to 
crucify  the  tyrants  that  persecute  us ;  the  crucifix  re- 
minds us  of  our  redemption.  The  crown  of  white 
thorns  means  the  trouble  and  struggle  of  good  cousins; 
the  crown  that  is  to  pierce  the  tyrant's  head.  The 
thread  commemorates  that  the  Mother  of  God  spun  it;  it 
denotes  the  cord  which  is  to  lead  the  tyrant  to  the  gibbet 
and  the  ladder  will  aid  him  to  mount  it.  The  leaves 
are  nails  to  pierce  his  hands  and  feet.  The  pickaxe  will 
penetrate  his  breast  and  shed  his  impure  blood.  The 
axe  will  separate  his  head  from  his  body.  The  salt  will 
prevent  the  corruption  of  his  head,  that  it  may  last  as 
a  monument  of  the  eternal  infamy  of  despots.  The 
pole  will  serve  to  put  his  head  upon.  The  furnace  will 
burn  his  body.  The  shovel  will  scatter  his  ashes  to  the 
wind.  The  water  will  purify  us  from  the  vile  blood 
we  shall  have  shed.  The  linen  will  wipe  away  our 
stains,  etc. 

The  initiation  into  the  first  degree  was  similar  to  that 
in  other  secret  societies,  apparently  harmless  in  order  to 
dupe  the  candidate.  In  the  second  degree  the  candi- 
date represented  Christ,  the  Grand  Master  took  the  name 
of  Pilate  and  his  two  assistants  those  of  Caiphas  and 
Herod;  the  Good  Cousins  are  then  called  the  people. 

The  candidate  is  first  led  to  the  Garden  of  Olives  and 
there  repeats  the  words  of  Christ  in  a  mutilated  form : 


138 

"If  the  sufferings  I  am  to  undergo  are  to  be  useful  for 
men  I  do  not  ask  to  be  freed,  from  them,  but  thy  will, 
0  Lord,  and  not  mine  be  done."  Having  taken  a 
draught  from  a  cup  filled  with  bitter  drink  the  candidate 
is  brought  before  Pilate  and  accused  of  being  a  disturber 
of  the  people  and  ambitious,  desiring  to  destroy  the  re- 
ligion and  govern  the  people.  He  is  then  led  to  Cai- 
phas  and  from  his  to  Herod.  Herod  asks  him  who  he 
is  and  the  reply  is :  "I  am  Jesus  of  Nazareth,  the  Son 
of  God."  A  white  garment  is  put  on  him  and,  being 
brought  back  to  Pilate,  the  master  of  ceremonies  says: 
"This  is  Jesus -of  Nazareth,  King  of  the  Jews."  The 
candidate  is  then  scourged,  a  crown  of  thorns  placed 
upon  his  head,  and  then  Pilate  says:  "Ecce  homo," 
but  the  people  cry,  "Crucify  him;  his  blood  be  upon  us 
and  our  children."  The  sentence  of  death  is  pro- 
nounced, the  cross  laid  upon  the  shoulders  of  candidate 
when  the  people  cry :  "Mercy,  mercy."  The  candi- 
date takes  an  oath  binding  hiinself  under  the  penalty  of 
having  his  body  cut  to  pieces  and  burnt  if  he  should 
prove  false.  The  higher  degree  of  Grand  Elect  was 
conferred  only  upon  those  who  had  proved  their  ef- 
ficiency for  work  by  having  manifested  their  hatred  for 
the  rulers  of  ancient  Ausonia  (Italy).  The  candidate 
had  to  take  the  following  oath :  "I,  N.  N.,  a  free  citi- 
zen of  Ausonia,  swear  before  the  Grand  Master  of  the 
Universe,  and  the  Grand  Elect  Good  Cousins,  to  devote 
my  whole  life  to  the  triumph  of  the  principles  of  liberty, 
equality  and  progress,  which  are  the  soul  of  all  the  secret 
and  public  acts  of  Carbonarism.  I  promise  that,  if  it 
is  impossible  to  restore  the  reign  of  liberty  without  a 
struggle,  I  will  fight  to  the  death.  I  consent,  should  I 
prove  false  to  my  oath,  to  be  slain  by  my  Good  Cousins 


139 

Grand  Elect;  to  be  fastened  to  the  cross  in  a  lodge, 
naked,  crowned  with  thorns ;  to  have  my  belly  torn  open 
the  entrails  and  heart  taken  out,  burned,  and  the  ashes 
scattered  to  the  wind.  Such  1  swear.''  The  Carbon- 
ari spread  the  report  that  they  had  the  approbation  of 
the  Holy  See  and  for  a  time  succeeded  in  deceiving  the 
ignorant  masses.  Pius  VII  condemned  them  repeat- 
edly in  1814,  1815  and  1821;  as  also  Leo- XII  in  1825. 
The  society  spread  into  France  where  it  assisted  in  the 
Revolutions  that  agitated  that  country,  during  the  last 
century.*  Giarciiniere  was  the  name  of  the  woman's 
branch  of  the  Carbonari,  the  word  meaning  garden- 
women,  each  sister  taking  the  name  of  a  flower. 

THE  AlAFIjV 

Is  the  society  of  Italians  which  has  been  prominently 
before  the  people  both  in  Italy  and  the  United  States 
during  the  last  twenty  years.  The  candidate,  upon  his 
knees,  places  the  point  of  a  stiletto  upon  his  bare  breast 
over  the  heart,  and  swears  that  he  would  plunge  the 
blade  into  his  heart  rather  than  betray  his  brothers  in 
the  Mafia.  The  society  was  accused  of  killing  the  Chief 
of  Police  of  New  Orleans  in  1890,  and  eleven  of  its  mem- 
bers, who  had  been  arrested  and  acquitted  of  the  charge, 
were  taken  from  the  jail  by  a  mob  and  lynched. 


*In  1835  Malegari  described  the  reason  d'etre  of  the  Carbonari 
in  these  words  :  "We  form  a  union  of  brothers  in  all  parts  of  the 
earth  ;  we  all  strive  for  the  freedom  of  mankind  ;  we  wish  to  break 
every  kind  of  yoke." 


CHAPTER  XXIV. 

THE  ODD-FELLOWS. 

The  Cyclopaedia  of  Fraternities  enumerates  the  fol- 
lowing Orders  of  Odd-Fellows :  Albion  Order  of  Odd- 
Fellows;  Ancient  and  Honorable  Order  of  Odd-Fel- 
lows, Kent  Unity;  Ancient  Independent  Order  of  Odd- 
Fellows;  Ancient  Noble  Order  of  Odd- Fellows;  Brit- 
ish United  Order  of  Odd-Fellows;  Derby  Midland 
United  Order  of  Odd- Fellows;  Economical  Order  of 
and  Independent  Order  of  Odd-Fellows;  Grand  United 
Order  of  Odd-Fellows;  Improved  Independent  Order 
of  Odd-Fellows;  Independent  Order  of  Odd-Fellows; 
Household  of  Euth;  Independent  Order  of  Daughters 
Militant  of  Odd-Fellows;  Independent  Order  of 
Daughters  of  Kebekah  of  Odd-Fellows;  Independent 
Order  of  Imperial  Order  of  Muscovites  of  Odd-Fellows ; 
Independent  Order  of  Patriarchs  Militant  of  Odd-Fel- 
lows ;  Independent  Order  of  Manchester  Union  of  Odd- 
Fellows;  Kingston  Unity  of  Odd-Fellows;  Leeds  Unity 
of  Odd-Fellows;  Leicester  Unity  of  Odd-Fellows;  Loyal 
Union  of  Odd-Fellows;  Ancient  Imperial  Independent 
Nottingham  Order  of  Odd-Fellows;  Patriotic  Order  of 
Odd-Fellows;  Staffordshire  Order  of  Odd-Fellows; 
United  Order  of  Odd-Fellows;  Odd  Ladies;  Odd  Sisters, 
and  West  Brunswick  Order  of  Odd-Fellows. 

Odd-Fellowship  as  an  order  dates  back,  according  to 
the  Encyclopaedia  Britannica,  to  the  year  1745,  when  the 
first  Lodge  was  founded  at  Southwark,  England.  In 


Ul 

1819  the  first  Odd-Fellow  Lodge  was  organized  in  the 
United  States  at  Baltimore,  Maryland;  and  today  the 
order  claims  to  have  the  largest  membership  of  any 
benevolent  Fraternal  Order. 

Neither  in  this,  nor  in  any  subsequent  description  of 
an  Order,  do  I  deal  with  the  beneficiary  or  the  financial 
doings  thereof,  but  confine  myself  to  proving  the  relig- 
ious character,  which  will  be  evident  from  a  careful  pe- 
rusal of  the  extracts  I  make  from  the  rituals. 

Eev.  A.  B.  Grosh,  the  author  of  "Odd-Fellow's  Im- 
proved Pocket-Manual,"  says :  "Our  institution  has  in- 
stinctively, as  it  were,  copied  after  nearly  all  secret 
associations  of  religious  and  moral  character.  *  *  * 
In  Egypt,  the  most  ancient  among  the  ancient  King- 
doms, an  institution  of  this  kind  existed  from  the  earliest 
period."  On  page  27  of  the  Manual  he  tells  us  "the 
Fatherhood  of  God  and  the  Brotherhood  of  Man  are  its 
foundations  of  precept  and  of  practice." 

On  page  109  a.  f.,  we  are  told:  "The  internal,  truly 
living  spirit  of  Love  and  of  universal  fraternity,  pervad- 
ing all  our  rituals  and  ceremonies,  recognized  in  em- 
blems, colors,  and  regalia;  using  every  adjunct  for 
strengthening  its  influence  on  the  soul;  speaking  to  ear 
and  eye  in  every  lecture,  charge,  sign,  and  token,  and 
to  the  touch  in  grip  and  pressure;  and  manifesting  it- 
self silently  like  rain,  and  sunshine  and  electricity,  in 
beneficent  organizations  and  institutions;  this  soul  of 
all  its  teachings  and  workings  of  Odd-Fellowship,  the 
hidden  name  in  the  white  stone,  which  he  knoweth  best 
who  most  truly  possesses  it.  The  Fatherhood  of  God  and 
the  brotherhood  of  Man,  then,  are  the  great  principles  of 
our  Order,  embodied  in  the  mottoes  thereof,  'In  God  we 
trust,'  and  'Friendship,  Love  and  Truth.' 


142 

"  *  *  *  The  most  important  uses  and  aims  of 
Odd-Fellowship  are :  The  imbuing  of  the  minds  of  our 
brethren  with  proper  conceptions  of  their  powers  and 
capabilities,  giving  them  just  and  practical  views  of 
their  duties  and  responsibilities,  exhibiting  their  de- 
pendence upon  God,  and  bringing  them  to  a  knowledge 
and  practice  of  the  true  fraternal  relations  between  man 
and  man.  *  *  *  To  one  whose  generous  heart  de- 
lights in  well  doing,  and  admires  our  principles,  and  de- 
sires to  find  means  for  increasing  his  usefulness  to  suf- 
fering men,  our  Order  presents  the  strongest  induce- 
ments. We  open  for  him  a  field  beyond  the  limits  of 
his  party  or  his  church,  as  well  as  within  it,  needing  his 
labors  and  offering  joyous  recompense  for  his  toils.  No 
church  in  its  present  state  is  extensive  enough  in  its  fel- 
lowship to  embrace  many  good  men  who  need  the  minis- 
tration of  kindred  spirits,  nor  far-reaching  enough  to 
reach  even  its  own  members  when  distant  from  it,  and 
needing  aid  and  protection." 

In  the  "North  West  Odd-Fellow  Eeview"  of  February, 
3  895,  we  find  this :  "Our  own  and  kindred  associations 
would  never  have  been  called  into  existence  if  the 
churches  had  done  their  duty,  and,  as  a  matter  of  fact, 
our  prosperity  is  mainly  due  to  the  great  want  felt  for 
such  institutions.  And,  when  I  call  to  mind  the  vast 
amount  of  work  which  has  been  accomplished  by  our  Or- 
der, how  it  has  alleviated  the  sufferings  of  humanity,  has 
nourished  the  widows  and  orphans,  and  given  new  life 
and  hope  to  many  a  fallen  brother,  and  contrast  it  with 
the  havoc  which  has  from  time  to  time  been  wrought, 
the  lives  that  have  been  sacrificed,  the  bloodshed  and  in- 
dignities heaped  upon  mankind  in  endeavoring  to  uphold 
some  church  doctrine  which  in  all  probability  will  cut  no 


143 

figure  whatsoever  when  we  meet  at  the  final  tribunal; 
I  incline  to  the  belief  that  the  strong  hand  of  Providence 
will  continue  to  guide  and  sustain  us  in  the  work  which 
we  have  undertaken,  no  matter  what  the  rule  of  any 
church  may  be  to  the  contrary." 

In  the  May  number  of  the  same  Review  for  the  same 
year  we  read :  "The  teachings  of  Odd-Fellowship  tend 
to  liberalize  the  mind,  broaden  the  lives,  deepen  the 
springs  of  action  and  give  us  a  clearer  conception  of  our 
duties  to  ourselves,  to  our  fellow  creatures,  to  our  coun- 
try and  to  our  God. 

"The  principle  of  our  Order  is  one  divine  in  origin, 
universal  in  application  and  elevating  to  "all  who  embrace 
it.  *  *  *  No  home  can  be  an  ideal  one  unless  the 
principles  of  our  good  and  glorious  Order  are  represented 
therein,  and  its  teachings  made  the  rule  of  life." 

The  Past  Grand,  in  his  charge  to  candidate,  says : 
"Odd-Fellowship  is  founded  upon  that  eteranl  principle 
which,  recognizing  man  as  a  constituent  of  one  universal 
brotherhood,  teaches  him  that  as  he  came  from  the  hands 
of  a  common  parent  he  is  bound  to  cherish  and  to  protect 
his  fellow-man.  It  thus  presents  a  broad  platform  upon 
which  mankind  may  unite  in  offices  of  human  benefac- 
tions. Under  its  comprehensive  influence,  all  the  nations 
of  the  earth  may  concentrate  their  energies  for  the  good 
of  the  common  race.  Based  upon  certain  truths  which 
are  like  axioms  among  all  nations,  tongues  and  creeds, 
its  sacred  tolerance  presents  a  nucleus  which,  by  its  gen- 
tle influence,  gathers  within  its  orbit  antagonistic  na- 
tures, controls  elements  of  discord,  stills  the  storm  and 
soothes  the  spirit  of  passion,  and  directs  in  harmony 
man's  effort  to  fraternize  the  world.  This  is  the  great 


144 

first  principle  of  our  fellowship,  which  we  denominate 
fraternity,  a  universal  fraternity  in  the  family  of  man. 

"  *  *  *  We  seek  to  improve  and  elevate  the  char- 
acter of  man,  to  imbue  him  with  proper  conceptions  of 
his  capabilities  for  good;  to  enlighten  his  mind,  to  en- 
large the  sphere  of  his  affections;  in  a  word,  our  aim  is 
to  lead  man  to  the  cultivation  of  the  true  fraternal  rela- 
tions designed  by  the  Great  Author  of  his  being." 

The  meetings  open  and  close  with  prayers.  At  the 
opening  the  Chaplain  shall  say : 

"Thou  King  eternal,  and  invisible,  the  only  wise  God, 
our  Saviour,  Thou  art  the  Sovereign  of  universal  nature, 
the  only  true  object  of  our  best  and  holiest  affections. 
We  render  Thee  hearty  thanks  for  the  kind  Providence 
which  has  preserved  us  during  the  past  week,  protecting 
us  from  the  perils  and  dangers  of  this  life ;  and  for  per- 
mitting us  now  to  assemble  in  Thy  name  for  the  trans- 
action of  business. 

"We  humbly  beseech  Thee,  our  Heavenly  Father,  to 
preside  over  our  assembly,  to  breathe  into  our  hearts  the 
spirit  of  love  and  of  a  sound  mind;  and  may  each  and 
all  be  governed  by  an  anxious  desire  to  advance  Thy 
glory  and  ameliorate  the  condition  of  mankind. 

"Let  thy  blessing  rest  upon  our  Order,  upon  all  the 
Lodges,  Grand  and  subordinate,  belonging  to  our  entire 
family  of  brothers.  Let  Friendship,  Love  and  Truth 
prevail,  until  the  last  tear  of  distress  be  wiped  away,  and 
the  lodge  below  be  absorbed  by  the  glory  and  grandeur 
of  the  Grand  Lodge  above.  This  we  ask  in  humble  de- 
pendence upon,  and  in  most  solemn  adoration  of  Thy 
One  mysterious  and  glorious  Name.  Amen." 


145 

About  Initiation,  the  Rev.  Grosh  ha?  this  to  say : 

"Every  Odd-Fellow  should  keep  clearly  impressed  on 
his  mind  and  heart  the  lessons  taught  at  initiation.  They 
are  a  guide  to  understand  properly  all  that  Allows  after 
— an  epitomized  summary  of  the  great  principles  and 
objects  of  the  Order.  They  contain  fhe  germs  which 
after  instruction  and  his  own  practice  should  develop 
and  mature  into  blossoming  and  fruitfulness.  In  one 
word,  what  regeneration  by  the  word  of  truth  is  in  re- 
ligion, initiation  is  in  Odd-Fellowship." 

The  Degree  of  Friendship  is  based  on  the  history  of 
David  and  Jonathan  as  related  in  the  First  Book  of 
Kings. 

"Odd-Fellows  of  the  First  or  Friendship  Degree 
should  maintain  their  feelings  and  friendship  to  a  broth- 
er under  the  most  severe  tests.  Let  David  be  true  to 
Jonathan,  and  Jonathan  be  true  to  David."  (Odd-Fel- 
low's Monitor  and  Guide,  by  Rev.  T.  G.  Beharrell). 

On  pp.  55.  56  and  57  of  the  same,  he  says :  "The  De- 
gree of  Brotherly  Love  brings  before  us  the  inimitable 
parable  of  the  Good  Samaritan,  and  all  the  impressive 
teachings  of  the  degree  on  the  principle  of  brotherly  love 
can  be  called  to  our  remembrance  as  we  read : 

"  'And  a  certain  man  went  down  from  Jerusalem  to 
Jericho  and  fell  among  thieves,  which  stripped  him  of 
his  raiment,  and  Avounded  him  and  departed,  leaving  him 
half  dead.'  (He  lies  by  the  roadside  weltering  in  his 
blood,  and,  though  conscious,  he  is  unable  to  help  him- 
self. His  money  is  stolen,  his  raiment  is  taken  off  and 
carried  away,  while  his  wounds  are  gaping  and  bleeding, 
and  death  is  staring  him  in  the  face). 

"'And  by  chance  there  came  down  a  certain  priest 
that  way,  and  when  he  saw  him  he  passed  by  Qn  th^  qther 


146 

side '  (Here  was  a  functionary  of  the  Jewish  church 
who  heard  the  groans  of  the  wounded  man  and  saw  him 
in  his  helplessness,  but  had  no  sympathy  awakened  in 
his  breast)^. 

"  'And  likewise  a  Levite,  when  he  was  at  the  place, 
came  and  looked  at  him,  and  passed  by  on  the  other  side.' 
(There  was  another  who  assisted  in  the  services  of  re- 
ligion, but  his  feelings  were  not  enlisted;  he  asked  no 
questions  of  the  sufferer). 

"  'But  a  certain  Samaritan,  as  he  journeyed,  came 
where  he  was,  and  when  he  saw  him  he  had  compassion 
on  him  and  bound  up  his  wounds,  pouring  in  oil  and 
wine,  and  set  him  on  his  own  beast  and  brought  him  to  an 
inn  and  took  care  of  him.  And  on  the  morrow,  when  he 
departed,  he  took  out  two  pence  and  gave  it  to  the  host, 
and  said  unto  him,  'Take  care  of  him,  and  when  I  come 
again  I  will  repay  thee.'  Here  was  a  man  who  had  broken 
over  party  prejudice  and  distinctions,  and  showed  that 
his  religion  was  not  devoid  of  compassion.  This  is  broth- 
erly love.  This  is  genuine  kindness — all  that  is  beautiful 
and  lovely  combined.  Self  and  prejudice  is  sacrificed  on 
the  altar  of  humanity,  goodness  and  mercy.  The  ties 
of  our  brotherhood  are  not  easily  broken,  and  this  parable 
gives  us  an  answer  to  the  question,  Who  is  my  neighbor? 
and  we  readily  see  that  the  Good  Samaritan  was  a  neigh- 
bor to  him  who  fell  among  thieves.  We  accept  the  in- 
junction of  the  great  Teacher,  'Go  thou  and  do  like- 
wise/ " 

When  the  candidate  is  admitted  to  this  degree  he  is 
asked  \vhat  he  wants,  and  the  Vice-Grand  answers :  "Ad- 
mit him,  that  he  may  be  instructed  in  the  divine  lesson 
of  humanitv."  When  the  candidate  has  taken  the  usual 


147 

obligation,  he  is  told  "Heaven  has  witnessed  your  vows, 
and  the  Common  Father  has  smiled  on  that  compact." 

In  the  third  or  highest  degree  of  Odd-Fellowship,  in 
the  Subordinate  Lodge,  the  Noble  Grand  is  dressed  as 
High  Priest  during  a  certain  part  of  the  performance. 

Says  Rev.  Beharrell,  page  59 :  "When  the  mysteries 
of  this  degree  are  given,  he  (candidate)  graduates,  and 
in  the  use  of  his  knowledge  goes  forth  to  a  practice  of 
what  he  has  learned — an  exemplification  in  his  life  of 
the  principle  of  our  Order.  He  is  now  to  represent  the 
ministers  of  God  at  the  sacred  altar  in  the  performance 
of  their  work  and  office." 

The  candidate  who  applies  for  admission  in  this  de- 
gree of  Truth  is  asked  "why  does  he  seek  to  obtain  this 
degree?"  and  the  answer  is :  "Because  Truth  is  the  Im- 
perial Virtue."  Noble  Grand:  "What  does  he  expect 
from  the  Truth  ?"  Conductor :  "That  it  will  teach  him 
his  duties  to  God  and  to  his  fellow-men." 

The  candidate  is  dressed  in  a  white  robe  and  a  stole 
put  around  his  shoulders.  The  symbols  and  emblems  of 
the  order  are  then  explained  to  him.  When  this  is  done 
the  Noble  Grand,  dressed  as  High  Priest,  will  say :  "My 
brother,  you  are  now  admitted  to  the  Third  Degree, 
known  as  the  Priestly  Order.  You  have  already  been  in- 
formed that  it  is  dedicated  to  the  principles  of  Truth. 
You  were  prepared  for  admission  by  having  placed  on 
you  a  white  robe.  This  was  intended  to  represent  the 
purity  of  truth.  But  the  emblematic  color  of  this  de- 
gree is  scarlet,  implying  that  truth  is  an  Imperial  vir- 
tue. The  pure  white  robe  is  an  external  symbol,  repre- 
senting that  your  lips  should  speak  the  truth,  and  at  all 
times  be  ready  to  administer  words  of  affection  to  a 
brother  requiring  consolation.  You  are  now  placed  in  a 


position  among  us  to  gain  rank,  and  the  highest  in  the 
lodge.  It,  therefore,  becomes  your  duty  to  enforce,  by 
example  as  well  as  precept,  the  tenets  of  our  Order.  Its 
mysteries  are  confided  to  your  charge;  you  are  to  pre- 
serve them  inviolate;  duty  and  honor,  your  own  solemn 
vows,  all  require  that  you  be  faithful,  and  that  you  also 
guard  your  brethren  against  any  breach  of  fidelity.  Be 
true  and  steadfast  in  this  as  well  as  in  all  things,  and 
thus  demonstrate  that  merit  constitutes  the  great  title 
to  our  privileges,  and  that  on  you  they  have  not  been 
undeservedly  conferred." 


CHAPTER  XXV. 

ENCAMPMENT   ODD-FELLOWSHIP 

"Is  properly  called  Patriarchal,  and  consists  of  the  three 
degrees  of  Patriarchal,  Golden  Rule,  and  Royal  Purple. 
A  part  of  the  dressing  of  an  Encampment  room  is  the 
Tent  and  Crook,  and  tells  us  that  the  Patriarchs  dwelt 
in  tents  or  had  movable  dwellings  and  were  shepherds 
watching  their  flocks.  The  motto  of  our  Order  is  carried 
into  Patriarchal  Odd-Fellowship  and  exemplified  in  a 
different  style. 

"Friendship  is  taught  and  impressed  in  the  way  of  hos-' 
pitality  to  a  stranger  and  toleration  as  to  religious  faith. 
Abraham  entertained  angels  in  the  guise  of  men,  and  we 
are  taught  to  entertain  strangers  because  some  have  en- 
tertained angels  unaware,  and  we  may  do  the  same. 
Abraham,  under  the  title  of  Abram,  is  represented  as 
driving  a  man  from  his  tent  and  out  into  the  wilderness 
because  he  did  not  worship  his  God.  He  was  reproved 
and  required  to  call  back  the  stranger  and  bear  with  him 
in  his  difference  of  opinion  and  service. 

"Love  is  taught  and  strongly  impressed  upon  the  heart 
by  an  exemplification  of  the  Golden  Rule,  'Whatsoever 
ye  would  that  others  should  do  to  you,  do  ye  also  even  so 
to  them.'  Those  of  every  nation,  clime,  kindred  and  cus- 
tom, with  all  their  conflicting  interests,  are  ranged  side 
by  side,  and  the  moral  law  is  presented  as  a  basis  on 
which  thev  mav  all  meet  and  unite  in  service  to  the  Su- 


150 

preme  Kuler  of  the  universe  and  in  offices  of  human  ben- 
efactions. 

"Truth  is  taught  in  the  mimic  journey  of  life,  and  the 
importance  of  care  as  we  pass  from  point  to  point,  and 
make  watch  after  watch  until  the  end  is  reached  and  we 
pass  from  labor  to  rest. 

"The  motto  of  Encampment  or  Patriarchal  Odd-Fel- 
lowship is  /Faith,  Hope  and  Charity/  and  under  this 
motto  and  guided  by  these  principles,  we  go  forth  to  do 
the  work  of  life.  They  are  the  three  pillars  on  which 
the  structure  rests.  An  exercise  of  Faith  gives  us  the 
groundwork  for  the  Hope  and  inspires  us  to  the  exercise 
of  Charity,  that  greatest  of  all  the  virtues,  'and  now 
abideth  Faith,  Hope  and  Charity,  these  three,  but  the 
greatest  of  these  is  Charity/  (Beharrell — Monitor  and 
Guide.) 

The  ceremonies  in  these  Encampment  Degrees 
are  quite  lengthy.  I  will  therefore  only  copy  what  refers 
strictly  to  the  religious  part  thereof.  "The  High  Priest 
of  an  Encampment  shall  wear  a  robe  made  of  purple 
fabric,  trimmed  with  ermine  or  white  fabric,  a  mitre, 
breastplate,  white  surplice  of  muslin  or  silk,  etc. 

"The  Chief  Patriarch  shall  wear  a  purple  gown,  yellow 
belt;  turban  with  black  band  and  yellow  top  and  a 
crook." 

The  High  Priest  acts,  during  part  of  the  initiation, 
as  Abraham,  in  the  Patriarchal  Degree,  and  the  candi- 
date is  given  the  name  of  Isaac.  After  passing  through 
the  usual  preliminary  exercise  the  candidate  is  brought 
before  Abraham  and  this  takes  place : 

Abraham:  "You  give  me  great  joy,  my  son.  Your 
footsteps  have  been  led  to  Beersheba  by  the  finger  of 
God.  He  has  commanded  me  to  make  a  three  days'  jour- 


151 

ney  to  the  land  of  Moriah  and  there  offer  up  to  Him  a 
sacrifice." 

Junior  Warden  (for  Isaac)  :  "'Let  obedience  crown 
your  head.  Honor  the  Lord's  behest,  and  make  no  delay 
in  fulfilling  them." 

Abraham:  "My  son,  you  speak  wisely,  and  we  will 
proceed  on  the  three  days'  journey." 

(A  procession  is  formed,  headed  by  the  High  Priest 
as  Abraham  and  the  candidate  as  Isaac,  the  latter  being 
blindfolded  and  carrying  a  bundle  of  sticks.  A  psalm 
or  ode  may  be  sung.  The  altar  is  placed  to  suit.  On 
arriving  at  the  place  for  the  altar  the  blindfold  is  re- 
moved. ) 

Abraham :  "Here,  my  son,  we  will  erect  an  altar,  for 
this  is  Mount  Moriah." 

Junior  Warden  (for  Isaac)  :  "What  shall  we  do  for 
a  sacrifice  ?" 

Abraham:  "Be  patient,  my  son,  and  the  Lord  will 
provide  one." 

(The  altar  being  in  readiness,  the  Watches,  one  or 
more,  stand  near,  holding  torches.) 

Abraham :  "We  have  been  blessed  hitherto,  and  we 
must  hasten  to  serve  the  Lord,  for  His  will  must  be  done, 
that  we  may  realize  honor  and  glory.  His  command 
that  I,  Abraham,  shall  make  this  sacrifice,  is  not  for 
an  idle  purpose,  but  it  may  serve  as  an  illustrious  ex- 
ample to  generations  unborn,  to  show  that  God  ever 
blesses  the  obedient,  and  accords  to  them  prosperity.  My 
son  Isaac,  be  not  surprised;  it  is  God's  order  that  you 
shall  be  sacrificed.  The  angel  of  the  Lord  shall  gather 
and  keep  your  ashes  in  a  golden  urn  as  a  memorial  of 
your  submissive  obedience,  and  of  my  faith  in  God." 


152 

(A  bowl  of  water  and  a  towel  are  provided.) 

Abraham :  "Patriarchs,  let  us  place  the  fagots  on  the 
altar.  Isaac,  wash  your  hands  with  me  in  this  bowl, 
which  contains  pure  water.  With  this  white  linen  dry 
your  hands.  (They  wash  and  wipe  their  hands.)  Pa- 
triarchs, place  Isaac  upon  the  altar." 

(The  candidate,  as  Isaac,  is  blindfolded  and  caused  to 
kneel  on  the  altar.) 

Abraham :    "Let  us  unite  in  praise  to  God." 

(Patriarchs  surround  the  altar.  Lights  are  turned 
low.  Torches  are  lighted,  ready  to  fire  the  altar.  The 
High  Priest,  as  Abraham,  stands  with  his  left  hand  on 
Isaac,  right  hand  elevated,  and  recites  the  first  four 
verses  of  Psalm  XXIII,  as  follows:) 

Abraham :  "The  Lord  is  my  shepherd :  I  shall  not 
want.  He  maketh  me  to  lie  down  in  green  pastures :  he 
leadeth  me  beside  the  still  waters. 

"He  restoreth  my  soul :  He  leadeth  me  in  the  paths  of 
righteousness  for  His  name's  sake. 

"Yea,  though  I  walk  through  the  valley  of  the  shadow 
of  death,  I  fear  no  evil :  for  Thou  art  with  me,  Thy  rod 
and  Thy  staff  they  comfort  me." 

(The  above  may  be  chanted.)     A  short  pause. 

Abraham :    "Now,  let  the  torch  be  applied." 

(At  a  distance  from  the  altar  the  muffled  gong  is 
struck  three  times.  A  short  pause.) 

Abraham :    "Let  the  fagots  be  fired." 

(Imitation  thunder.  The  gong  is  again  struck  three 
times,  followed  by  a  short  pause.) 

Abraham:  "Isaac  is  not  to  be  sacrificed.  Let  him 
be  removed  from  the  altar  and  restored  to  light,  and  be- 
come a  member  of  the  Patriarchal  family,  and  I  will  re- 
turn and  dwell  at  Beersheba." 


153 

Here  the  symbols  and  emblems  of  the  Degree  are  ex- 
plained and  the  signs  and  pass-word  given. 

The  second  Encampment  degree  is  called  "The  Golden 
Rule."  The  Patriarch,  who  is  admitted  to  this  degree, 
is  brought  by  the  Junior  Warden  before  the  High 
Priest. 

Junior  Warden :  "Most  Excellent  High  Priest,  I  pre- 
sent to  you  Patriarch ,  who  has  taken  the  obliga- 
tion of  this  degree." 

High  Priest:  "Patriarch,  you  have  been  taught  to 
recognize  as  a  cardinal  virtue  the  Golden  Rule,  which 
commands  us  to  do  unto  others  as  we  would  have  them 
do  unto  us.  Here  we  endeavor  to  inculcate  a  just  ob- 
servance of  the  high  moral  affections  and  duties  for  the 
enforcement  of  which  society  can  not  enact  a  code. 

"Here  no  artificial  distinctions  of  nation,  sect  or  tribe 
are  recognized.  All  stand  upon  a  common  level,  and  are 
alike  entitled  to  that  consideration  and  regard  which 
each  claims  for'  himself .  The  rule  by  which  we  walk  is 
founded  upon  the  immutable  truth  that  all  men  are 
brethren ;  but  the  code  of  society  regulates  the  degree  of 
association.  From  one  common  source  the  existence  of 
all  is  derived,  and  we  are  bound  to  each  other  by  com- 
mon ties.  A  nerve  of  the  same  life  runs  through  the 
human  race  and  gives  to  each  an  interest  in  all  that  live. 
Recognizing  as  we  do  this  .bond  of  union,  the  evils  that 
afflict  our  brother-man  become  in  a  measure  our  own, 
his  misfortunes  are  our  misfortunes,  and  his  sufferings 
do  but  increase  the  pains  that  shoot  through  our  sys- 
tems, and  render  life  so  feverish  and  fitful.  If  we  smite 
him  we  smite  a  member  of  our  own  body,  and  if  we  strike 
for  his  blood,  our  own  flesh  shall  feel  thevwound. 


154 

"From  all  this  vast  brotherhood  we  claim  sympathy 
in  distress,  truth  in  intercourse,  and  free  and  full  tolera- 
tion. As  we  claim  these  for  ourselves,  and  yield  them 
up  at  the  mandate  of  none,  so  we  are  bound  freely  and 
fully  to  accord  them  to  others." 

High  Priest:  "Junior  Warden,  you  will  retire  with 
the  candidate." 

(Junior  Warden  and  candidate  retire  for  a  time  so 
as  to  give  an  opportunity  for  arranging  everything  for 
further  proceedings.  The  members  of  the  lodge  assume 
different  costumes  representing  the  different  races  of 
men:  the  White,  Brown,  Yellow,  Red  and  Black;  and 
the  creeds  of  Jews,  Pagan,  Christian,  Mohammedan. 
When  everything  is  in  readiness  both  Warden  and  can- 
didate re-enter.) 

Junior  Warden  (to  candidate)  :  "You  see  before  you 
representatives  of  the  different  peoples  of  the  earth. 
There  is  the  White  race,  now  scattered  throughout  the 
world.  Its  origin  was  in  ancient  Asia,  the  region  onco 
occupied  by  Adam,  Noah  and  Abraham,  but  now  overrun 
by  semi-barbarous  hordes  as  different  in  religious  faith 
as  in  manners.  Many  of  them  still  cling  to  the  ancient 
worship  of  Judaism,  some  to  the  Crescent  and  some  to 
the  Cross.  The-  religion  of  the  Cross  prevails  where  civi- 
lization exists,  and  yet  its  devotees  are  divided  into  sects 
as  antagonistic  in  creed  as  though  they  were  dissimilar 
in  origin. 

"The  Brown  race  inhabits  parts  of  Southern  Asia. 
Tt  is  far  advanced  in  the  arts  and  sciences.  Its  temples 
of  worship  are  of  great  splendor,  and  exhibit  architectu- 
ral skill  equalling  that  of  any  other  people.  Its  religion 
is  Paganistic,  and  its  social  habits  are  defined  by  strict 
and  rigid  caste. 


155 

"The  Yellow  race,  consisting  of  the  Mongolians  of 
Asia,  are  votaries  of  Pagan  rites  according  to  the  teach- 
ings of  Confiicius.  For  centuries  they  have  given  prac- 
tical evidence  of  advanced  mental  power,  by  the  produc- 
tion of  handiwork  whose  mysteries  have  remained  un- 
fathomed  by  other  races. 

''The  Eed  race  consists  of  unlettered  savages,  roaming 
through  the  pathless  wilderness,  chasing  the  fleet  deer 
with  the  quiver  and  bow.  The  sun,  moon  and  the  myri- 
ads of  stars  receive  their  profound  adoration  as  symbols 
of  an  eternal  Great  Spirit. 

"And  there  you  behold  the  Black  race.  It  inhabits, 
as  borders,  the  wilds  of  Africa.  In  general  they  are  bar- 
barians and  monsters  in  the  practice  of  the  most  dire 
rapine,  yet  some  of  them  are  more  gentle — as  the  Nubi- 
ans, who  dwell  upon  the  burning  sands  of  the  Equator 
and  dance  to  the  music  of  a  reed  beneath  the  spreading 
palm. 

"In  recognition  of  the  Benign  Power  that  created  all 
things,  man  seeks  to  honor  the  Creator  by  ceremonies  of 
adoration.  That  group  embraces  men  of  different  creeds, 
who  are  followers  of  the  Christian  religion,  and  there 
is  the  Pagan,  a  worshiper  of  idols,  or  of  the  elements 
of  fire.  And  here  arc  the  intolerant  and  persecuting  Mo- 
hammedans, who  are  ever  ready  to  immolate  the  man  of 
another  creed  upon  the  altar  of  their  own  peculiar  faith." 

(The  candidate  is  again  blindfolded  and  conducted 
around  the  lodge,  whilst  the  brethren  representing  the 
different  nations  and  creeds  seat  themselves  among  the 
Patriarchs.  The  lights  are  turned  up  and  the  blindfold- 
ing removed.) 

Chief  Patriarch:  "Patriarch,  look  around  you.  Be- 
hold the  change  a  few  moments  have  wrought,  emblem- 


156 

atic  of  that  change  which  shall  occur  when  the  Golden 
Rule  shall  have  asserted  its  power  and  obtained  its  do- 
minion over  the  world.  The  high  and  impassable  bar- 
riers that  separate  man  from  his  fellow-man  are  broken 
down.  All  sit  together  as  brothers  in  harmony  and  love. 
The  descendants  of  Abraham  and  the  followers  of  the 
Crescent  are  co-mingled  with  those  of  the  Cross  as  one 
happy  family,  knowing  no  diversity  of  faith  or  creed, 
and  a  calm  repose  has  come  upon  the  elements  of  strife. 
The  spear  of  the  warrior  is  broken  and  the  sword  of  the 
conqueror  lies  rusting  in  the  scabbard,  and  discord  and 
contention  shall  be  known  no  more." 

(The  usual  instruction  given  after  each  initiation 
about  the  emblems,  symbols,  signs  and  grip  are  here 
given  to  the  new  member.) 

The  Royal  Purple  or  Third  Encampment  Degree  is 
conferred  only  upon  such  Patriarchs  as  have  been  apt 
scholars  in  the  previous  degrees.  The  initiatory  cere- 
monies represent  man's  journey  through  life.  The  can- 
didate is,  as  usual,  blindfolded,  and  led  over  rough  roads, 
hears  sweet  music,  afterwards  followed  by  great  noise, 
clap  of  thunder,  sound  of  arms,  etc.,  followed  by  music 
and  then  a  bridge  is  crossed,  when  candidate  is  brought 
to  a  halt  before  the  presiding  officer. 

Guard :  "Most  Excellent  High  Priest,  a  pilgrim  has 
arrived  and  desires  your  blessing." 

High  Priest:  "Present  the  pilgrim.  (He  is  present- 
ed.) Restore  him  to  light."  (Blindfold  is  removed.) 

High  Priest :  "Patriarch,  I  welcome  you  to  this  tem- 
ple of  our  Order;  your  progress  hither  may  have  ap- 
peared tedious,  but  we  trust  that  the  lesson  you  have 
gathered  by  the  way  will  prove  profitable.  All  human 
excellence  is  the  reward  of  perseverance,  toil  and  danger, 


157 

such  as  we  have  endeavored  to  picture  to  the  imagina- 
tion in  the  mimic  journey  of  life  through  which  you 
have  been  conducted — a  scene  that  has  not  been  re- 
hearsed for  idle  amusement,  but  to  awaken  rational  med- 
itation in  a  mind  as  mature  as  yours.  *  *  * 

The  new  Patriarch  is  instructed  in  all  the  secrets  of 
the  order,  its  signs,  emblems,  etc.,  and  the  ceremony 
closed  with  the  following  prayer : 

"Father  of  Mercy,  God  of  Jove,  we  beseech  Thee,  of 
Thy  great  goodness,  to  defend  us  from  peril  and  danger 
this  night.  Let  Thy  blessing  rest  upon  us ;  and  may  all 
our  works — begun,  continued  and  ended — redound  to 
Thy  glory  and  the  happiness  of  all  mankind.  Amen." 


CHAPTEE  XXVI. 

DEGREE  OF  PATRIARCH  MILITANT  OF  THE  I.  O.  O.  F. 

"Patriarchal  Proclamation  calling  a  meeting : 

"Lot,  my  brother's  son,  has  been  taken  prisoner  by 
Chedorhaomer,  King  of  Elam,  and  carried  away  into 
captivity.  Now,  therefore,  I  do  command  all  of  my 
trained  servants,  born  in  my  own  house,  to  report  with- 
out delay,  at  my  tent  beneath  the  Oak  of  Mamre,  near 
Hebron,  there  to  be  enrolled  and  supplied  with  weapons 
of  war,  and  march  at  once  in  pursuit  of  the  enemy ;  re- 
capture my  brother's  son  at  all  hazards,  and  bring  him 
back  to  his  home.  ABEAM, 

Patriarch." 

The  candidate  has  to  take  the  usual  solemn  obligation 
— always  to  conceal  and  never  to  reveal,  etc.,  and  is  in- 
structed in  the  object  of  the  Order,  its  signs,  etc.,  and 
then  the  Commandant  shall  say : 

Commandant :  "Sir,  you  have  now  attained  the  high- 
est and  most  exalted  rank  in  Odd-Fellowship.  Step  by 
step  you  have  been  deservedly  advanced  to  this  high  and 
honorable  distinction,  and  I  am  gratified  that  you  have 
been  found  worthy  to  be  enrolled  as  one  of  our  number. 
The  true  soldier,  engaged  in  a  just  warfare,  presses  for- 
ward and  strikes  valiantly  against  the  stronghold  of  the 
adversary,  never  yielding  until  that  adversary  capitu- 
lates. He  is  not  easily  turned  aside;  he  fears  no  danger, 
he  heeds  no  voice  excepting  that  of  his  commander ;  and 
when  the  conflict  is  ended,  he  is  equally  ready  to  grant 


159 

quarter  and  regard  the  rights  of  those  who  can  no  longer 
protect  themselves. 

"So  you,  as  a  soldier  in  our  cause,  must  always  earnest- 
ly contend  for  those  reforms  best  calculated  to  promote 
the  moral  welfare  and  advance  the  condition  of  man- 
kind. Upon  all  questions  affecting  the  good  and  well- 
being  of  the  community  in  which  you  live,  you  must  have 
an  opinion  of  your  own,  which  you  should  fearlessly  ex- 
press whenever  occasion  may  require;  yet  at  all  times 
bearing  in  mind  that  others  have  an  equal  right  to  en- 
tertain honest  opinions  of  their  own. 

"On  taking  the  obligation  you  were  required  to  kneel, 
in  token  of  obedience  to  those  in  authority,  and  of  proper 
humility;  you  were  required  to  place  your  right  hand 
over  your  heart,  to  indicate  the  sincerity  of  your  purpose 
to  faithfully  adhere  to  your  sacred  pledge  of  honor;  and 
your  left  hand  was  made  to  grasp  the  naked  blade  of  the 
sword,  in  order  to  teach  you  that  justice  will  sooner  or 
later  overtake  you,  should  you  disregard  your  obliga- 
tion. *  *  *  " 

Surely  it  is  evident  that  Odd-Fellowship  is  a  religious 
organization.  The  women  branches  of  the  Order  have 
a  similar  ritual  with  an  oath,  etc. 


CHAPTER  XXVII. 

KNIGHTS  OF  PYTHIAS. 

This  Order  of  Knighthood  is  a  secret  society,  founded 
in  3864,  at  Washington,  D.  C.,  by  prominent  Freema- 
sons. The  ceremonial  is  founded  on  the  story  of  Damon 
and  Pythias,  and  the  principles  are :  Friendship,  Char- 
ity and  Benevolence,  with  .the  motto  "Be  Generous, 
Brave  and  True."  The  first  or  initiatory  rank  is  that 
of  Page ;  the  second,  the  Armorial  rank  of  Esquire ;  and 
the  third,  the  Chivalric  rank  of  Knight. 

The  Chaplain  in  the  Order  of  Knights  of  Pythias  is 
called  Prelate.  At  the  opening  of  a  "Castle,"  as  the 
meetings  are  called,  he  says : 

Prelate  (standing)  :  "My  station  is  at  the  left  of  the 
Chancellor  Commander,  opposite  the  altar.  My  duties 
are  to  administer  the  obligation,  to  offer  invocation  to 
the  Deity  and  ask  His  blessing  upon  our  brotherhood; 
and  to  perform  all  other  services  required  of  me  by  the 
laws  of  the  Order  and  the  by-laws  of  this  Lodge." 

The  Chancellor,  explaining  his  duties,  asks : 

"What  is  the  duty  of  every  member  of  this  Lodge  ?" 

All:  "To  avoid  anger  and  dissension;  to  work  to- 
gether in  the  spirit  of  fraternity;  to  exemplify  the 
friendship  of  Damon  and  Pythias." 

Chancellor  Commander :  "To  aid  us  in  this  work,  the 
Prelate  will  invoke  the  divine  assistance." 


161 

Prelate :  "Supreme  Ruler  of  the  Universe,  we  humbly 
ask  Thy  blessing  upon  the  officers  and  members  of  this 
Lodge.  Aid  us  to  avoid  anger  and  dissension;  help  us 
to  work  together  in  the  spirit  of  fraternity;  and  inspire 
us  to  exemplify  the  friendship  of  Damon  and  Pythias. 
Hear  and  answer  us,  we  beseech  Thee.  Amen." 

All:    "Amen." 

OPENING  ODE. 

"God  bless  our  knightly  band, 
Firm  may  it  ever  stand, 
Through  storm  and  night. 

"When  the  wild  tempest  rave, 
Ruler  of  wind  and  wave, 
Do  Thou  our  Order  save 
By  Thy  great  might. 

"For  this  our  prayers  ascend, 
God  bless,  protect,  defend, 
God  guard  our  rights; 
Thou  who  art  ever  nigh, 
Viewing  with  watchful  eye, 
To  Thee  aloud  we  cry 
'God  save  the  Knights.' " 

The  Master- at- Arms  goes  up  to  the  altar,  opens  the 
book  of  laws  and  places  the  sword  of  defense  in  proper 
position. 

At  the  initiation  for  the  rank  of  Page  the  ritual  pre- 
scribes : 

"On  two  trestles,  twelve  inches  high,  covered  by  a 
black  pall  reaching  to  the  floor,  shall  be  placed  an  open 
coffin,  which,  shall  contain  a  skeleton.  On  the  coffin  shall 


162 


be  two  crossed  swords,  with  the  hilts  towards  the  Prelate, 
and  on  these  the  open  book  of  law." 


Keeper  of 

Records 
and  Seal. 


Chancellor 
Commander. 


Master 
of  Fi- 
nance.- 


Master 
of  Ex- 
chequer 


o 

Master  at  Armi. 


tf  K 
" 


a 


O 


In  above  diagram  the  regular  STATION  of  each  officer 
is  correctly  shown  and  the  Illustration  correctly  shows 
the  Prelate  standing  opposite  Candidate,  but  the  Mas- 
ter at  Arms  should  stand  at  the  right  of  the  Candidate. 


The  candidate  is  blindfolded  and  a  white  sash,  extend- 
ing from  the  right  shoulder  to  and  below  the  left  hip,  is 
put  upon  him. 

When  he  is  brought  before  the  Prelate  this  official 
says: 


163 

"  *  *  *  Master-at-Arms,  require  the  stranger  to 
kneel  upon  both  knees,  place  his  left  hand  upon  his  left 
breast,  and  his  right  hand,  palm  downward,  on  the  book 
of  law." 

The  hoodwink  is  removed  and  the  candidate  says :  "I, 
N.  N".,  solemnly  promise  that  I  will  never  reveal  the 
password,  grip,  signs,  or  any  other  secret  or  mystery  of 
this  rank,  except  in  a  Lodge  of  this  Order,  recognized  by 
and  under  the  control  of  the  Supreme  Lodge  Knights  of 
Pythias  of  the  World,  or  when  being  examined  by  the 
proper  officers  of  a  Lodge,  or  to  one  whom  I  know  to  be 
a  member  of  this  rank.  I  further  promise  that  I  will  not 
become  a  member  of,  recognize  or  countenance  any  or- 
ganization using  the  name  of  this  Order  or  any  deriva- 
tive thereof,  which  is  not  recognized  by  and  under  the 
control  of  the  Supreme  Lodge  Knights  of  Pythias  of 
the  World.  I  further  promise  that  I  will  obey  the  laws 
and,  as  far  as  possible,  comply  with  the  requirements 
of  the  Order.  I  further  promise  that  I  will  heed  the 
teachings  of  this  rank,  and  seek  to  profit  thereby;  and,  as 
I  meet  the  members  of  this  Order,  I  will  endeavor  to  ex- 
emplify, in  my  conduct  and  my  demeanor  toward  them, 
the  principles  of  friendship  embodied  in  the  lesson  of  to- 
night. To  the  faithful  performance  of  this  obligation  1 
pledge  my  sacred  word  of  honor.  So  help  me  God,  and 
may  He  keep  me  steadfast." 

All:    "Amen." 

Prelate :  "Stranger,  by  this  vow  you  are  bound  until 
death/' 

All :    "Even  unto  death/' 


(A  short  advice  is  given,  an  anthein  sung) : 

"In  the  deep  hush  o'er  the  earth  is  stealing, 

Father,  I  come  to  thee; 
In  humbleness  of  heart  I  bow,  appealing — 
Be  merciful  to  me, 
Be  merciful  to  me. 

Patriarch :  "You  will  now  arise.  My  friend,  you  have 
pledged  your  sacred  word  of  honor — roan  can  give  no 
higher  pledge.  You  have  called  upon  the  Ruler  of  the 
Universe  to  aid  you  in  keeping  the  obligation  inviolate." 
(Between  candidate,  master-at-arms  and  vice-chan- 
cellor a  conversation  takes  place  till  candidate  is  brought 
before  the  station  of  vice-chancellor.) 

Master-at-Arms :  "Vice-Chancellor,  I  present  to  you 
a  friend  who  desires  to  receive  further  instructions." 

V.  C.  (standing) :  "How  am  I  to  know  that  he  has 
taken  the  obligation  of  the  rank  of  page?" 

M.  A. :    "He  is  in  possession  of  a  sprig  of  myrtle." 
V.  C. :    "What  does  the  myrtle  symbolize  ?" 
M.  A.:    "The   friendship   which   bound   Damon   to 
Pythias." 

V.  C. :    "'How  should  we  exemplify  that  friendship  ?" 
M.  A. :    "By  the  practice  of  fraternity." 
V.  C. :     "I  accept  the  emblem  (takes  it  from  him)  as 
an  evidence  of  your  intention  to  join  us  in  the  practice 
of  fraternity;  and  I  will  now  instruct  you  in  the  secret 
work  of  this  rank." 

(This  is  done,  and  then  candidate  is  brought  before 
the  Chancellor  Commander,  who  standing  says)  : 

"The  friendship  of  Damon  and  Pythias  shines 
through  the  mists  of  centuries,  a  glowing  tribute  to  the 
humanity  of  the  past.  It  was  made  the  sweet  song  of 


165 

ancient  Greece,  and  is  immortalized  in  the  permanence 
of  our  order. 

"Damon,  a  senator  of  Syracuse,  had  incurred  the  dis- 
pleasure of  Dionysius,*  and  was  under  sentence  of  death. 
Many  delighted  to  honor  him  when  he  wore  the  robes  of 
office;  now  he  had  but  one  friend  in  all  Syracuse,  the 
companion  of  his  brighter,  better  days.  Pythias  was 
true,  and  knowing  Damon's  love  of  home,  he  begged  the 
tyrant  to  grant  his  friend  a  respite,  that  he  might  see  his 
wife  and  child  before  he  died,  and  offered  himself  as  a 
hostage,  as  a  pledge  for  Damon's  return.  The  fervor  of 
this  strange  request  touched  the  heart  of  Dionysius.  It 
was  to  him  a  mystery.  He  granted  the  request,  and 
Pythias  became  a  hostage  for  Damon,  who  hastened  to- 
ward home  by  the  distant  sea.  The  mystery  deepens — 
the  tyrant  cannot  solve  it.  By  this  decree,  in  the  lone 
dungeon  where  Pythias  wears  the  chains,  the  fair  Cal- 
anthe  urges  her  lover  to  break  his  bond  and  fly  with  her 
where  danger  cannot  come.  He  will  not  go;  he  has 
pledged  his  word ;  honor  is  more  to  him  than  life,  and  in 
his  refusal  the  tyrant  marvels  still  more. 

"Will  Damon  return  ?  The  love  of  home,  of  wife  and 
child,  the  tender  memories  that  shine  like  burning  stars 
through  the  gathering  gloom,  hold  him,  until,  ere  he 
knows,  the  last  hour  of  respite  is  hastening  by.  Giving 

NOTE — This  is  the  Dionysius  of  whom  history,  among  many 
other  things,  tells  us  this :  "Dion,  the  philosopher,  one  day  gave 
a  sharp  reproof  to  him  on  account  of  his  cruelty.  Dionysius  felt 
highly  offended  and  resolved  to  avenge  himself  on  Dion.  So  he 
took  the  son  of  Dion  prisoner,  not  indeed,  to  kill  him,  but  to  give 
him  up  into  the  hands  of  an  irreligious  teacher.  After  the  young 
man  had  been  long  enough  under  the  teacher  to  learn  from  him 
everything  that  was  bad  and  impious,  Dionysius  sent  him  back  to 
his  father.  The  object  he  had  in  view  was  this :  He  foresaw  that 
this  corrupted  son,  by  his  impious  conduct  during  his  whole  life- 
time would  cause  the  father  constant  grief  and  sorrow,  so  much  so 
that  he  would  be  for  him  a  life-long  affliction  and  curse.  This  the 


tyrant  thought  was  the  longest  and  greatest  revenge  he  could  take 
on  Dion  for  having  censured  his 


is  conduct.' 


166 

• 

a  last  fond  embrace  to  his  loved  ones,  a  last  longing,  lin- 

*  o       o  y 

gering  look  at  his  once  happy  home,  he  starts  for  Syra- 
cuse to  redeem  his  promise  and  save  his  friend. 

"The  hour  of  execution  is  at  hand ;  Damon  has  not  re- 
turned and  his  hostage  is  brought  to  the  block  to  suffer  in 
his  stead.  The  evening  sun  shines  golden  on  the  towers 
and  temples  of  ancient  Syracuse  as  Pythias  looks  out 
among  the  vast  throng,  who  taunt  him  with  the  seeming 
falseness  of  his  friend.  Belying  upon  the  honor  of  Da- 
mon, trusting  in  his  word,  proud  of  his  friendship,  he 
calls  upon  the  gods  to  prevent  his  return,  and,  in  re- 
sponse to  the  cruel  jeers  of  the  mob,  proclaims  the  fidelity 
of  Damon,  and  turns  to  meet  his  fate. 

"At  the  last  moment,  when  the  headsman's  axe  is 
raised,  a  horseman  is  seen  in  the  distance,  coming  with 
the  speed  of  the  wind. 

"It  is  Damon — he  has  been  true  to  his  promise.  He 
has  saved  his  friend.  The  air  resounds  with  the  shouts 
of  the  populace,  in  recognition  of  a  virtue  that  has  long 
been  buried  under  the  weight  of  human  selfishness.  At 
the  strange  scene  the  tyrant  looks  in  wonderment,  and 
as  he  looks,  the  cruel  purpose  of  the  hour  passes  away, 
and  friendship  sits  upon  the  throne,  wearing  the  crown 
'that  ne'er  encumbers  nor  can  be  transferred.'  The 
heroes  still  live,  and  will  live  while  friendship  warms  the 
heart  of  man.  This  virtue  is  the  corner-stone  of  the 
Order,  and  our  members  are  sworn  to  exercise  it  toward 
each  other. 

"Keep  sacred  the  lesson  of  to-night;  and  so  live  that 
when  you  come  to  the  river  that  marks  the  unknown 
shore,  your  hands  may  be  filled  with  deeds  of  charity, 
'the  golden  keys  that  open  the  palace  of  eternity.  I  now 


167 

confer  upon  you  the  rank  of  Page  in  the  Order  of 
Pythias/  "  (invests  the  candidate  with  a  blue  collar.) 

In  conferring  the  second  degree  or  Rank  of  Esquire, 
the  Master-at-Arms  brings  the  candidate  before  the 
Prelate  and  says : 

"Prelate,  by  order  of  the  Chancellor  Commander,  I 
present  a  Page  that  you  may  administer  to  him  the  obli- 
gation of  the  rank  of  Esquire." 

Prelate:  "Advance  your  left  foot,  place  your  left 
hand  upon  your  breast,  close  your  right  hand,  raise  your 
right  arm  as  if  to  strike  a  downward  blow,  and  repeat 
after  me : 

"I,  N.  N".,  solmenly  promise  that  I  will  never  reveal 
the  password,  grip,  signs  or  any  other  secret  or  mysteries 
of  this  rank,  except  in  a  Lodge  of  this  Order,  recognized 
by  and  under  the  control  of  the  Supreme  Lodge,  Knights 
of  Pythias  of  the  World,  or  when  being  examined  by  the 
proper  officers  of  a  Lodge,  or  to  one  whom  I  shall  know 
to  be  a  member  of  this  rank. 

"I  specially  promise  that  I  will  not  commit  to  writ- 
ing any  of  the  secret  work  of  this  Order,  so  that  it  may 
become  known;  nor  will  I  permit  it  to  be  done  by  anoth- 
er, if  in  my  power  to  prevent. 

"I  further  promise,  so  far  as  may  be  in  my  power,  to 
guard  the  good  name  of  a  member  of  this  or  any  other 
rank  of  this  Order,  and  I  will  not  speak  ill  of  him  until 
I  am  satisfied,  by  careful  investigation,  that  he  has  dis- 
regarded his  obligation,  has  violated  the  laws  of  his  coun- 
try, or  has  been  guilty  of  conduct  unbecoming  a  gentle- 
man. I  further  promise  that  in  my  dealings  with  men, 
I  will  endeavor  to  be  careful,  cautious  and  prudent ;  and 


168 

for  the  frailties  of  others  will  exercise  the  same  charity 
I  would  ask  for  myself. 

"To  the  faithful  observance  of  this  obligation  I 
pledge  my  sacred  word  of  honor.  So  help  me  God  and 
may  He  keep  me  steadfast." 

In  initiating  the  candidate  for  the  rank  of  Knight  the 
Master-at-Arms  brings  him  to  the  dark  room  and  puts 
him  in  charge  of  a  Monitor,  who  gives  him  a  lengthy 
admonition  and  closes  the  same  by  saying : 

"The  darkness  which  surrounds  you  is  symbolic  of 
life.  Man  sits  in  gloom,  and  the  purpose  of  his  existence 
is*&  mystery. 

"Thus  shut  out  from  the  light  of  day  'the  world  for- 
getting, by  the  world  forgot' — learri  now  from  me  the 
highest  purpose  of  our  Order.  As  you  are  now  helpless, 
alone,  an  unmanned  bark  upon  an  unknown  sea,  your 
heart-beats  the  only  chart  and  log-book,  hear  what  I 
would  say;  and  as  you  hear,  resolve  that  from  the  ashes 
of  the  past  you  will  arise,  and,  in  the  spirit  of  Pythian 
fidelity,  do  your  duty  to  your  fellows  and  to  your  God." 

After  some  more  talk  of  this  kind  the  candidate  is 
placed  in  company  with  Pythagoras,  who  addresses  him 
thus: 

Pythagoras  to  Candidate :  "In  me  behold  Pythagoras. 
Centuries  before  your  eyes  had  opened  upon  the  light  of 
day,  I  had  attained  the  knowledge  of  all  the  ages.  The 
arts  of  ancient  Egypt,  the  science  of  Arabia  and  the 
philosophy  of  Pho?nicia,  the  lore  of  the  Chaldean  sages 
and  the  occult  mysteries  of  the  Persian  Magi,  are  to  me 
an  open  book.  I  welcome  yon  as  a  seeker  after  knowl- 
edge; but  bear  in  mind,  0  neophyte,  this  truth-^-the 
wish  to  know  contains  not  always  the  faculty  to  acquire. 
He  who  seeks  to  discover  must  first  learn  to  imagine  and 


169    . 

to  deliberate.  The  life  that  contemplates  is  nobler  than 
the  life  that  enjoys.  He  who  merely  is,  may  be  a  dull, 
insensate  hind;  he  who  is,  is  in  himself  divine.  The 
journey  which  is  before  you  is  to  you  unknown.  f.t  lies, 
perhaps,  through  flower  bespangled  plains  and  verdant 
meads,  where  summer  sunshine  shifts  through  interlac- 
ing boughs,  and  perfiimed  zephyrs  sigh,  and  music 
throated  birds  entrance  the  listening  ear.  Its  peradven- 
ture  winds  its  devious  and  uncertain  way  along  the 
mountain-side,  where  unsealed  peaks  their  towering  sum- 
mits lift  amid  the  thunder's  sullen  roar,  and  depths  abys- 
mal yawn  beyond  the  treacherous  precipice,  or  else  where 
darkling  rivers  run,  'mid  ray  less  gloom,  through  caverns 
measureless  to  man,  down  to  a  sunless  sea.  Mayhap  it 
leads  through  bog  and  fen  and  foul  morass,  where  hide- 
ous creatures  climb  and  crawl,  and  slimy  serpents  cling 
and  coil,  and  nameless,  countless  horrors  lurk  unseen. 
Fear  is  the  deadliest  foe  of  knowledge.  Be  brave.  The 
coward  fancies  perils  which  may  not  exist,  and  dies  a 
thousand  deaths ;  to  the  hero  danger  comes  only  to  nerve 
his  arm  and  steel  his  soul  to  combat  and  to  conquer.  And 
now,  farewell.  You  go  to  claim  the  golden  spur  that 
knighthood  wears.  To  wear  it  you  must  win  it.  Should 
you  succeed,  your  guerdon  and  reward  will  be  compan- 
ionship with  loyal-hearted  and  chivalric  knights ;  should 
you  fail,  on  you  and  you  alone  will  rest  the  burden  of  the 
blame."  (The  Senate  Chamber  is  now  prepared,  and 
when  the  Senators  have  taken  their  seats  the  King  en- 
ters and  the  Herald  cries:) 

Herald:    "The  King." 

King  (having  taken  his  position  and  is  standing)  : 
"Is  every  Senator  in  his  proper  place?" 

Herald  (saluting) :    "All  are  present,  sire." 


170 

King :  "With  knightly  courtesy  I  greet  you."  (Sena- 
tors salute.)  "Be  seated,  Senators."  (King  and  Senators 
take  seats.  Herald  and  attendants  remain  standing.) 
"Senators,  you  are  the  chosen  guardians  of  the  portals 
through  which  must  pass  all  who  would  attain  the  honors 
of  Pythian  knighthood.  Your  decisions  are  supreme  and 
from  your  edicts,  once  formally  pronounced,  there  is  no 
appeal.  As  senators,  pledged  to  protect  our  Order  against 
the  intrusion  of  those  unfit  to  wear  the  armor  of  a 
Knight,  I  urge  you  to  he  ever  on  your  guard,  and  to  let 
nothing  sAverve  you  from  the  line  of  Pythian  duty.  Do 
not  measure  value  hy  the  effrontery  which  is  too  often 
the  mask  of  cowardice,  nor  count  as  fear  the  gentle  mien 
that  is  frequently  the  guise  of  sterling  manhood.  Seek 
always  to  have  the  full  and  perfect  measure  of  him  who 
craves  from  you  the  honor  of  the  knightly  spur.  In  all 
you  do,  be  just  and  yet  he  merciful.  Kemember, 

"Wise  were  the  kings  who  never  chose  a  friend 

till  they  had  unmasked  his  soul 

And  seen  the  bottom  of  his  deepest  thoughts. 

"There  is  present  an  Esquire  who  seeks  to  stand  upon  the 
summit  of  Pythian  knighthood.  Avouching  his  readi- 
ness to  undertake  any  duty,  to  undergo  any  test,  which 
your  wisdom  may  prescribe,  he  awaits  with  confidence 
your  decree.  Ere  he  is  brought  before  you,  I  have  but 
this  to  say:  To  be  held  worthy  of  the  high  honor  that 
he  craves,  brave  must  he  be,  a  lover  of  the  right,  a  foe 
forever  of  the  wrong,  ready  to  do  all  and  to  dare  all  for 
the  cause  of  truth/" 

The  First  and  Second  Senators  make  their  speeches  as 
soon  as  the  candidate  is  brought  in  the  room  and  the 
Third  Senator  says : 


171 

"I  wish  for  him  a  thorough  test,  that  all  may  see  the 
truth  of  boasted  valor,  and  that,  when  he  shall  prove 
that  he  is  worthy  of  it,  he  may  gain  and  hold  our  warm- 
est friendship.  And  so,  let  him  be  made  to  leap  upon  a 
score  of  spikes  of  steel,  set  firmly  in  a  solid  slab  of  oak ; 
and  as  he  does,  let  each  one  look  and  listen,  to  see  if  in 
his  face  he  show  the  pallid  flag  of  fear,  or  by  any  groan 
give  token  of  a  coward  soul." 

Each  of  the  eight  or  more  senators  gives  his  advice 
about  the  test,  when  a  vote  is  taken  and  the  King  de- 
clares :  "The  test  of  steel/'  The  real  test  is  a  triangu- 
lar piece  of  heavy  Avood,  about  eighteen  inches  or  two 
feet  long  on  each  side,  and  about  two  inches  thick, 
bristling  with  steel  spikes,  the  points  carefully  sharp- 
ened, and  the  whole  making  a  most  gruesome-looking 
instrument  of  torture.  The  fictitious  test  is  an  exact  re- 
production of  the  real  test,  excepting  that  the  steel  spikes 
are  replaced  by  spikes  made  of  soft  rubber,  painted  so  as 
to  resemble  those  of  steel. 

King:  "Esquire,  you  will  carefully  examine  the  in- 
strument, and  fully  satisfy  yourself  as  to  its  composition. 
(Pauses  until  candidate  has  examined  the  test.)  You 
see  that  it  is  a  solid  slab  of  oak,  in  which  are  firmly  set 
sharp  spikes  of  steel.  Executioners,  place  the  test.  This 
test  may  seem  to  you  cruel  and  uncalled  for;  and  while 
there  is  much  I  dare  not  reveal,  I  wish  to  say :  A  moral 
coward  is  often  tempted  to  deeds  of  reckless  daring, 
rather  than  face  the  jeers  of  those  about  him.  A  man 
of  courage  and  noble  purpose  will  by  no  act  of  his  do 
violence  to  his  manhood.  With  confidence  in  himself  and 
in  his  friends,  prudence  marks  his  conduct  and  success 
crowns  his  life.  With  this  admonition,  and  the  assur- 
ance that  you  are  to  be  the  judge  of  what  is  prudent,  I 


172 

bid  you  meet  the  test.  Master-at-Arms,  conduct  the  Es- 
quire to  the  test." 

(The  Master-at-Arms  conducts  the  candidate  to  a  seat 
near  the  steps,  requires  him  to  remove  his  shoes,  and 
causes  him  to  stand  upon  a  platform  of  several  feet  high, 
the  fictitious  test  lying  on  the  ground  floor.) 

King:  "Esquire,  you  have  presented  yourself  as  an 
aspirant  for  the  honors  of  knighthood,  avowing  your 
readiness  to  undergo  any  test  that  might  be  imposed  on 
you.  The  wisdom  of  the  Senate,  after  full  debate,  de- 
creed the  test  of  steel.  That  decision  is  supreme,  from 
that  edict,  thus  formally  pronounced,  there  is  no  appeal. 
Therefore  I  bid  you  instantly  to  leap,  with  both  feet, 
upon  those  spikes  of  steel.'"' 

(If  candidate  fails  or  refuses  to  obey,  the  King  will 
order)  : 

"Executioners,  do  your  duty." 

(The  attendants  will  at  once  seize  the  candidate  firrn- 
iy,  but  without  violence,  and  place  both  feet  upon  the 
test.) 

The  Chancellor  Commander  gives  instruction  to  the 
new  Knight,  and  says,  among  other  things:  "In  the 
test  you  were  called  upon  to  meet,  we  sought  to  impress 
you  that  a  Knight  of  Pythias  should  be  obedient  to  every 
official  command,  and  that,  with  confidence  in  his  breth- 
ren, he  should  fearlessly  do  his  duty.  *  *  * 

The  usual  oath  is-  taken  and  the  explanation  of  the 
symbols,  signs,  etc.,  given. 

The  principal  objectionable  features,  for  reason  cf 
which  the  Catholic  Church  has  forbidden  its  members  to 
join  the  Knights  of  Pythias,  and  demanded  a  with- 
drawal of  those  who  had  joined  it,  are : 


173 

First,  the  oath  of  secrecy  by  which  the  member  binds 
himself  to  keep  secret  whatever  concerns  the  doings  of 
the  Order,  even  from  those  in  Church  and  State  who 
have  a  right  to  know,  under  certain  conditions,  what  the 
subjects  are  doing. 

Secondly,  this  oath  binds  the  member  to  blind  obedi- 
ence, which  is  symbolized  by  the  test.  Such  an  obedi- 
ence is  against  the  law  of  man's  nature,  and  against  all 
human  and  divine  law. 

Thirdly,  Christ  is  not  the  teacher  and  model  in  the 
rule  of  life,  but  the  Pagan  Pythagoras  and  the  Pagans 
Damon,  Pythias  and  Dionysius. 

In  1895,  a  large  number  of  German  Knights  of 
Pythias,  on  account  of  a  question  as  to  the  use  of  the 
German  language  in  the  meetings,  seceded  and  formed 
the  "Improved  Order  of  Knights  of  Pythias." 

There  are  two  organizations  of  wives,  daughters,  sis- 
ters and  mothers  of  Knights  of  Pythias,  the  Eathbone 
Sisters  and  the  Pythian  Sisterhood.  The  Order  is  ex- 
tending all  over  the  world. 


CHAPTER  XXVIII. 

GOOD  TEMPLARS,  SONS  OP  TEMPERANCE,  RECHABITES,  ETC. 

To  reform  those  addicted  to  drink  and  to  prevent  oth- 
ers from  falling  into  the  vice  of  intemperance,  friends 
of  virtue  have  at  all  times  endeavored  to  obtain  pledges 
or  promises  from  their  friends  to  observe  temperance. 
Prior  to  Father  Matthew,  it  was  customary  to  make  peo- 
ple take  the  pledge.  In  the  beginning  of  last  century  it 
was  a  frequent  occurrence  in  the  New  England  states 
that  members  of  this  or  that  church  took  the  "pledge" 
publicly.  In  some  localities  so-called  Temperance  Soci- 
eties were  organized,  whose  object  at  first  was  praise- 
worthy and  well-meant. 

When  the  anti-Masonic  excitement  during  the  years 
between  1825  and  1850,  held  out  longer  than  was  an- 
ticipated, these  Temperance  Societies  were  taken  hold  of 
by  Freemasons  and  Odd-Fellows.  Complaints  .had  been 
frequently  made  that,  especially  the  Odd-Fellows,  were 
too  convivial  and  intemperate  in  their  meetings.  The 
Order  of  Rechabites  was  introduced  from  England 'by 
the  Odd-Fellows  in  1842,  and  in  the  same  year  the  Free- 
masons founded  the  Sons  of  Temperance.  From  these 
two  organizations  all  secret  Temperance  Societies  have 
sprung.  In  1851,  the  Good  Templars  and  the  Independ- 
ent Order  of  Good  Templars;  since  then,  numerous  or- 
ganizations of  the  same  character. 

As  all  these  associations  were  founded  by  Freemasons, 
they  partake  of  the  Masonic  character. 


175 

That  the  object  of  the  Orders  is  not  confined  to  tem- 
perance is  evidenced  by  the  mode  of  initiation,  the  form 
of  the  obligation,  and  the  manner  of  religious  worship. 

After  passing  through  the  usual  ceremonies,  candi- 
date is  brought  before  the  Worthy  Commander,  in  front 
of  altar,  who,  holding  the  Bible  in  his  left  hand,  says  to 
the  candidate,  who  kneels  before  the  altar:  "You  will 
now  give  your  assent  to  the  Good  Templars'  vow  and 
obligation." 

OBLIGATION. 

"You  do  hereby  on  the  holy  Evangelists,  in  the  pres- 
ence of  Almighty  God,  and  surrounded  by  this  cordon 
of  living,  throbbing  hearts,  without  any  reservation 
whatever,  most  solemnly  promise  and  covenant  that  you 
will  most  faithfully  adhere  to  and  perform  all  previously 
assumed  vows  and  obligations  of  abstinence  from  intoxi- 
cating drinks  while  life  shall  last. 

"  You  furthermore  promise  that  you  will  sacredly  keep 
and  never  improperly  reveal  to  anyone  not  a  member  of 
this  degree,  and  not  to  him  or  them  until  after  due  trial 
you  have  proved  them  to  be  such,  anything  pertaining 
to  this  degree,  any  business  transacted,  any  edict,  order 
or  communication  received  from  superiors.  You  also 
promise  that  you  will  yield  due  and  cheerful  obedience 
to  and  aid  to  the  utmost  of  your  ability  in  carrying  out 
all  lawful  requirements  of  your  superior  in  office. 

"To  all  of  which  without  the  slightest  reservation  you 
most  solemnly  promise  and  covenant." 

Knights :  "God  bless  our  brother  and  keep  him  stead- 
fast to  do  and  perform  the  same." 

That  temperance  is  used  only  as  a  drawing  card  to 
attract  well-meaning  people  to  this  un-Christian  organ- 


176 

ization,  is  evident  from  the  above  obligation.  If  tem- 
perance is  the  only  motive,  what  use  is  there  of  secrecy  ? 
What  is  meant  by  the  secret  work?  That  temperance 
is  looked  upon  as  a  human  and  natural  virtue,  and  not 
as  a  Christian  virtue,  is  evidenced  by  the  "Instruction" 
which  the  candidate  receives : 

Past  Degree  Templar:  *  *  *  "We  claim  that  our 
pledge  is  in  accordance  with  the  Divine  will  *  *  * 
God  never  made  Alcohol  *  *  *  The  Marshal 
brings  the  candidate  to  the  Chaplain,  who  (holding  the 
Bible  before  him)  says :  "These  sacred  pages  before  us 
tell  of  a  heaven  as  well  as  an  earth,  of  the  moral  man  as 
well  as  the  intellectual  and  the  physical.  Remember  well 
what  you  have  heard,  forget  not  what  you  shall  hear, 
for  it  is  the  language  of  the  Most  High  I  repeat  to  you, 
that  your  hearts  may  be  still  more  strengthened  in  this 
good  work. 

"Then  came  the  word  of  the  Lord  unto  Jeremiah  say- 
ing: 

"Thus  saith  the  Lord  of  hosts,  the  God  of  Israel :  Go 
and  tell  the  men  of  Judah  and  the  inhabitants  of  Jeru- 
salem, will  ye  not  receive  instructions  to  hearken  to  my 
words  ?  saith  the  Lord. 

"The  words  of  Jonadab,  the  son  of  Rechab,  that  he 
commanded  his  sons  not  to  drink  wine,  are  performed; 
for  unto  this  day  they  drink  none,  but  obey  their  father's 
commandment :  notwithstanding  1  have  spoken  unto  you, 
rising  early  and  speaking ;  but  ye  hearkened  not  unto  me. 

"I  have  sent  also  unto  you  all  my  servants  and  proph- 
ets, rising  up  oarly  and  sending  them,  saying :  'Return 
ye  now  every  man  from  his  evil  way,  and  amend  your 
doings,  and  go  not  after  other  gods  to  serve  them,  and 
ye  shall  dwell  in  the  land  which  I  have  given  to  you  and 


177 

to  your  fathers;  but  ye  have  not  inclined  your  ear,  nor 
hearkened  unto  me/ 

"Because  the  sons  of  Jonadab,  the  son  of  Eechab,  have 
performed  the  commandment  of  their  father,  which  he 
commanded  them;  but  this  people  hath  not  hearkened 
unto  me. 

"Therefore  thus  saith  the  Lord  of  hosts,  the  God  of 
Israel :  'Behold  I  will  bring  upon  Judah  and  upon  all 
the  inhabitants  of  Jerusalem,  all  the  evil  that  I  have 
pronounced  against  them;  because  I  have  spoken  unto 
them,  but  they  have  not  heard;  and  I  have  called  unto 
them,  and  they  have  not  answered/ 

"And  Jeremiah  said  unto  the  house  of  the  Eechabites : 
'Thus  saith  the  Lord  of  hosts,  the  God  of  Israel:  Be- 
cause you  have  obeyed  the  commandment  of  Jonadab, 
your  father,  and  kept  all  his  precepts,  and  done  accord- 
ing unto  all  that  he  had  commanded  you:  Therefore 
thus  saith  the  Lord  of  hosts,  the  God  of  Israel :  Jonadab, 
the  son  of  Eechab,  shall  not  want  a  man  to  stand  before 
me  forever !' 

"Study  well  the  history  of  this  remarkable  people,  who, 
for  their  fidelity,  are  so  distinguished  by  the  King  of 
Kings. 

"The  Rechabites,  though  they  dwelt  among  the  Israel- 
ites,  did  not  belong  to  any  of  their  tribes.  They  were 
a  separate  people,  but  devoted  worshipers  of  Jehovah. 
Jonadab,  the  son  of  Eechab,  was  a  man  jealous  for  the 
right,  and  assisted  the  king  in  driving  a  great  evil  from 
the  land.  He  gave  to  his  children  the  rule  of  temper- 
ance. Ye  shall  drink  no  wine,  neither  ye  nor  your  sons 
forever.  And  their  fidelity  to  that  pledge  is  to  them  the 
promise  of  perpetual  existence.  Since  they  entered  into 
that  covenant,  nearly  three  thousand  years  have  rolled 


178 

by.  The  glory  of  Egypt,  of  Babylon  and  of  Jerusalem 
have  faded.  Great  and  mighty  nations  have  been  swept 
from  the  face  of  the  earth,  and  still  this  simple  .peo- 
ple exist  in  the  land  of  their  fathers,  and  to  this  day 
they  sacredly  observe  their  ancient  covenant. 

"You  will  see  in  this  an  example  of  fidelity  which  is 
worthy  of  your  imitation;  and  you  will  also  learn  that 
heaven  never  fails  to  reward  integrity  to  this  cause  with 
peculiar  honors/' 

The  Chaplain  has  about  a  dozen  different  prayers  to 
say,  according  to  the  ritual. 

That  temperance  is  not  considered  by  them  as  a  Chris- 
tian virtue  is  evidenced  from  the  above  instruction  of  the 
Chaplain. 


CHAPTER  XXIX. 

THE  MODERN  WOODMEN  OF  AMERICA. 

This  society  is  oath-bound,  secret,  of  a  religious  char- 
acter and  this  is  Masonic  in  its  teaching  and  ceremonial. 
The  proofs  of  it  are  found  in  Woodman's  Handbook  and 
in  the  Ritual,  both  published  in  1894,  by  order  of  the 
Head  Camp.  The  order  is  an  Illinois  corporation,  work- 
ing under  a  charter  granted  May  5,  1884.  It  was  found- 
ed at  Lyons,  Iowa,  in  1883,  by  Joseph  C.  Root,  a  promi- 
nent Freemason,  an  Odd-Fellow,  a  Knight  of  Pythias, 
member  of  the  American  Legion  of  Honor  and  of  the 
Ancient  Order  of  United  Workmen.  That  Masonic 
teaching  was  adopted  is  clear,  from  the  following,  which 
is  found  on  page  XLIY  of  the  "Selected  Literature" 
part  of  the  Handbook.  There  we  read :  *  *  *  "The 
fellowships  of  religion  are  the  strongest  and  deepest,  the 
sweetest  and  most  satisfying  of  all  the  unions  and  fra- 
ternities of  man.  But  for  some  reason  or  other  the 
churches  have  not  attracted  to  their  fellowship  the  toil- 
ing masses;  the  strong  and  big-hearted  men  of  our  day 
are  not  always  found  in  the  pews.  Where  is  the  fault? 
Is  the  church's  light  too  pale,  or  her  heart  throbs  too 
faint,  her  blood  too  thin  and  cold,  her  sympathy  too  per- 
functory and  heartless?  And  why  does  she  not  draw 
within  her  walls  the  brawn  and  muscles  of  our  land? 
Why  are  not  the  rugged,  sturdy  toilers  attracted  to  her 
shrine  for  the  sympathy  and  fellowship  their  hearts 
crave?  Why  are  not  young  men  warming  their  neg- 


180 

/ 

lected  and  shivering  hearts  at  her  sacred  altar?  Because 
the  church  has  not  used  her  opportunity,  nor  been  the 
place  and  home  it  should  be  to  satisfy  the  cravings  and 
restless  throbs  of  humanity's  great  and  famished  heart. 
Fraternities  like  the  Modern  Woodmen  of  America  re- 
spond to  the  need  of  the  human  heart;  strong,  toiling 
men  binding  themselves  together  to  bear  each  other's 
sorrows,  and  contribute  to  each  other's  joys.  In  their 
humanity,  their  warmth,  their  thoughtful  consideration 
for  the  emergencies  and  necessities  of  this  world  they 
stand  in  striking  contrast  to  that  religion  whose  only 
thought  and  investment  is  in  the,  next  world*  *  * 

According  to  this  the  Church  has  outlived  her  useful- 
ness and  the  Lodges  or  Camps  are  to  take  her  place. 

On  page  179  of  the  Handbook  we  read :  "Through  our 
lodge  system  and  the  obligations  and  teachings  of  our 
rituals  we  bind  our  organizations  closely  together  in 
bonds  of  fraternal  support,  aid  and  sympathy." 

The  framer  of  the  ritual  has  this  to  say  on  page  265 
of  the  Handbook :  *  *  *  "Having  determined  upon 
creating  the  fabric,  the  next  question  was,  what  shall  be 
its  form, -shape  and  name?  Various  conceptions  of  a 
form  of  ceremonies  came  to  mind,  but  every  one  lacked 
newness  or  originality.  Tn  one,  Odd-Fellowship  suggest- 
ed the  idea,  in  another  Masonry  had  already  conceived 
the  form,  the  test,  the  ceremony.  In  that  treasury  of 
ancient  mystery,  the  magic  numbers  and  mystic  symbols 
of  Pythagoras,  the  rose  cross  of.  Rosenkreutz,  the  grand 
Eleusyan  rites,  the  exoteric  and  esoteric  doctrines  of 
Greece,  and  the  Dyonysian  ceremonies  had  been  studied 
by  generations  of  master  minds,  to  add  to  the  knowledge 
of  the  ancient  craft  the  wisdom  and  the  inventions  of 
hundreds  of  years'  experience  in  secret  work  designed  to 


181 

impress  men  by  the  grandeur  of  its  exemplification  of 
noble  truths  by  symbolic  ceremonials  and  dramatic  spec- 
tacles, requiring  a  keen  mind,  a  bright  intellect,  and  a 
manly  courage  to  enter  and  remain  within  its  inner  vale. 
The  lessons  of  that  immortal  drama  of  Damon  and 
Pythias  were  recalled,  with  its  God-like  lessons  of  friend- 
ship, self-devotion,  and  self-sacrifice,  but  another  pre- 
tentious order  had  already  made  use  of  that.  Thus  it 
became  to  the  willing  mind,  ready  to  devise  a  ritual,  a 
confusion  of  scenes,  teachings  and  ideas  that  were  needed 
to  formulate  his  conception  of  that  which  was  necessary 
for  an  order  which  he  hoped  and  believed,  if  properly 
prepared  and  panoplied,  would  commend  itself  to  the 
judgment  of  practical  men,  when  their  attention  should 
be  called  to  it," 

Page  269  :  "The  author,  in  his  ritual,  has  two  or  three 
ideas  that  he  wished  to  permeate  it.  One  was  that  the 
objection  that  was  raised  against  some  secret  societies 
of  being  a  semi-religious  body  should  not  be  pertinent  to 
the  Modern  Woodmen  of  America.  The  belief  of  an 
applicant  in  matters  of  Deity  or  religion  has  no  bearing 
upon  the  object  of  Woodcraft,  as  defined  in  the  ritual. 
The  fact  that  he  is  a  moral  man,  of  temperate  habits 
and  good  physical  and  mental  condition,  are  all  the  pre- 
requisites of  a  useful  member.  The  fraternity  should 
not  arrogate  to  itself  to  select  the  Christian  and  reject 
the  unbeliever,  or  to  favor  the  Eepublican  and  frown 
upon  the  Democrat.  If  a  man  has  no  regard  for  the 
Bible,  he  should  not  be  required  to  insult  its  sacredness 
in  the  eyes  of  his  venerating  neighbor  by  refusing  to  be 
obligated  upon  it.  So  it  were  better  to  dispense  with 
such  a  requirement.  *  *  *  The  doors  are  then  left 


182 

open  to  the  Jew  and  Gentile,  the  Catholic  and  Protest- 
ant. *  *  *" 

On  page  16  of  the  ritual  we  read:  Escort  (to  can- 
didate) :  "Before  you  become  one  with  us  it  will  he  nec- 
essary for  you  to  he  regularly  adopted  as  a  Son  and 
Neighbor.  I  will  assure  you,  however,  that  nothing  will 
violate  your  political  or  religious  obligations,  or  hurt 
your  self-respect,  but  a  valuable  lesson  will  be  taught 
you  by  the  cermonies  peculiar  to  our  Fraternity." 

The  man  did  not  know  what  he  was  saying  when  he 
wrote  the  above,  or  he  wilfully  and  knowingly  told  a 
flagrant  falsehood.  Extracts  from  the  Bible  are  used, 
religious  hymns  are  said  or  sung.  Does  such  not  inter- 
fere with  the  applicant's  religion  if  he  is  a  Catholic? 
Most  assuredly  it  does.  And  how  is  it  consistent  with 
"self-respect"  to  be  dressed  as  a  mendicant,  hurled 
around  the  hall  on  the  goat;  and  all  the  bobby-hobby  as 
prescribed  by  the  ritual?  Ts  it  consistent  with  an  Amer- 
ican citizen's  self-respect  to  blindly  obey? 

Among  the  heathens  it  was  a  custom  to  mark  their 
slaves  by  branding  their  seals  or  escutcheons  on  their 
forehead,  so  that  they  might  remain  constantly  in  the 
service  of  their  master,  and  in  case  they  ran  away  that 
it  might  easily  be  known  to  what  master  they  belonged. 

The  Modern  Woodmen  brand,  or  pretend  to  brand 
their  members.  And  as  to  the  oath;  it  is  not  less  than  a 
curse  which  can  never  be  pronounced  under  grievous 
sin.  But  let  me  quote  at  length  from  the  ritual.  On 
page  25ff.  the  following  is  found : 

Forest  Patriarch  (Advisor)  :  "Whither  do  you 
journey  ?" 

Escort:  "We  are  seeking  the  Camp  of  the  Modern 
Woodmen,  that  we  may  possess  the  Arcana." 


183 

Forest  Patriarch:  "Strangers,  your  ambition  is  a 
laudable  one,  but  know  you  not  that  the  way  is  one  of 
secrecy  ?" 

Escort :  "We  come  before  you  willing  to  do  as  others 
have  done  before  us/'' 

Forest  Patriarch :  "You  are  strangers,  without 
friends,  in  a  strange  land;  you  have  many  weary  miles 
to  travel  before  you  can  reach  the  summit  of  your  ambi- 
tion; you  will  be  hungry  and  thirsty,  and  you  may  be 
beset  by  great  dangers.  I  know  of  the  Order  you  seek ; 
even  now  from  their  battlements,  on  yonder  mountain 
I  see  their  banner,  and  upon  it  is  inscribed  the  words: 
'Peace,  Light  and  Safety/  Before  you  resume  your 
journey.  I  will  ask  you  to  partake  with  me  of  this  fruit. 
(Offers  him  fruit.  Stranger  eats.  Watchman  and  as- 
sistants pass  fruit  to  all  present.  During  this  cere- 
mony all  the  Foresters  repeat  in  concert  the  following:) 
(Taken  from  the  Bible.) 

"As  the  apple  tree  among  the  trees  of  wood,  so  is  my 
beloved  among  the  sons.  T  sat  down  under  his  shadow 
with  great  delight,  and  his  fruit  was  sweet  to  my  taste. 

"Awake,  0,  north  wind,  and  come  thou  south;  blow 
upon  my  garden,  that  the  spices  thereof  may  flow  out. 
Let  my  beloved  come  unto  his  garden  and  eat  his  pleasant 
fruits. 

"The  mandrake  gives  a  sweet  smell,  and  at  our  gates 
are  all  manner  of  pleasant  fruits,  new  and  old,  which  I 
have  laid  up  for  thee,  0,  my  beloved/' 

Soon  thereafter  the  Forest  Patriarch  offers  water  and 
the  candidate  and  Escort  drink  the  water  offered  them 
whilst  the  Foresters  say  in  concert: 

"Thine  own  friend  and  thy  father's  friend  forsake 
not;  neither  go  into  thy  brother's  house  in  the  day  of 


184 

thy  calamity;  for  better  is  a  neighbor  that  is  near  than 
a  brother  that  is  far  off. 

"Love  worketh  no  ill  .to  his  neighbor,  therefore  love  is 
the  fulfilling  of  the  law. 

"Let  every  one.  of  us  please  his  neighbor  for  his  good 
to  edification. 

"Thou  shalt  love  thy  neighbor  as  thyself. 

"Thou  shalt  not  defraud  thy  neighbor,  nor  rob  him." 

And  again,  page  31:  "Who  is  my  neighbor?  It  is 
he  that  succored  the  wounded  man  after  the  Priest  and 
Levite  had  passed  him  to  the  other  side.  He  that  showed 
mercy  to  him.  Go  and  do  likewise." 

CEFJEMCWX  OF  ADOPTION. 

FRATERNAL  DEGREE  OF  M.  W.  OF  A. 

PART  I. 

[The  hall  should  be  prepared  as  during  meetings.  The 
Saw,  Saw-buck,  Stick  of  Wood,  Camp  Goat,  Ladle  and 
Quicksilver,  the  Branding  Iron  and  the  false  wine  or 
beer  glasses  should  all  be  in  readiness,  but  out  of  sight 
of  candidate.  The  Consul  remains  robed  as  Venerable 
Father.] 

(Escort  and  candidate  wear  their  regular  clothing; 
advance  to  the  door,  give  three  raps,  and  Watchman 
repeats  three  raps.) 

Watchman  (opens  door)  :  "Why  would  you  enter 
here?" 

Escort:  "That  we  may  receive  farther  instructions 
in  Woodcraft." 

Watchman :  "Then  advance  seriously  to  yonder  sta- 
tion, and  receive  your  final  obligation/' 


185 

(The  Foresters  have  already  ranged  themselves  in 
open  ranks  with  presented  axes  at  the  outer  door,  and 
as  the  Escort  and  candidate  march  through  the  ranks  the 
Foresters  march  with  them  around  the  hall  and  again 
open  ranks  in  front  of  the  Adviser's  station,  and  the 
Escort  and  stranger  march  through  the  ranks  and  stand 
in  front  of  the  Adviser.) 

Escort:  "Worthy  Advisor,  having  made  our  vows 
twice,  we  now  come  before  you  to  receive  our  third  and 
final  obligation." 

Adviser :  "Then  take  this  fragile  vessel  in  your  right 
hand.  Obey  my  commands,  and  you  shall  receive  the 
Arcana  of  our  Camp." 

(Hand  fragile  vessel  that  may  be  easily  broken  to 
stranger,  who  shall  take  it  in  his  right  hand ;  place  table, 
chair  or  bucket,  so  that  he  can  readily  break  it  at  the 
proper  time.  An  egg  shell,  after  the  contents  have  been 
removed,  or  an  old  lamp  chimney,  make  the  best  fragile 
vessels  Consul  gives  three  raps. ) 

"I,  (your  name),  in  the  presence  of  our  Venerable 
Consul  and  theee  witnesses,  on  my  sacred  honor  as  a 
man,  promise  and  declare  that  I  will  not  wrong  or  de- 
fraud the  fraternity  in  its  treasury,  nor  a  member  in 
his  purse;  that  I  will  promptly  pay  all  dues  and  death 
assessments,  and  thus  do  my  duty  to  the  widow,  the 
fatherless,  and  the  orphan:  that  I  will  not  propose  for 
membership  any  person  whom  I  know  to  be  of  unsound 
health,  of  bad  repute,  or  irregular  habits;  that  I  will 
not  reveal  any  transactions  of  the  Camp,  or  the  signs, 
ciphers,  words,  symbols,  grip  or  written  work  of  the 
fraternity  to  any  person  not  lawfully  entitled  to  the 
same.  And  that,  under  no  circumstances  and  condi- 
tions in  which  I  may  be  placed,  will  I,  though  threatened 


186 

with  dire  calamity,  or  tempted  with  great  reward,  ever 
reveal  the  pass-words  of  the  Fraternity,  except  to  those 
who  are  entitled  to  receive  the  same  in  a  regularly  con- 
stituted Camp  of  Modern  Woodmen,  or  when  I  may  be 
acting  as  Venerable  Consul  of  the  Camp,  Deputy  Head 
Consul,  or  Head  Consul.  May  I  be  dashed  to  pieces  as 
I  now  dash  this  fragile  vessel  into  fragments,  if  I  prom- 
ise not  the  truth. 

(Stranger  casts  vessel  into  receptacle  provided.  Which 
being  done) : 

"To  all  this  I  sincerely  and  in  honor  promise." 

Adviser:  "Livy  informs  us  that  the  sanctity  of  an 
obligation  had  more  influence  with  the  ancient  Romans 
than  the  fears  of  laws  and  punishments.  A  true  Wood- 
man will  never  disregard  his  obligations.  Escort,  you 
will  now  conduct  the  candidate  to  the  Venerable  Con- 
sul's station." 

(Consul  gives  one  rap.  Escort,  candidate  and  Forest- 
ers march  around  the  hall  and  then  to  the  Consul's 
station ;  the  Foresters  standing  in  two  ranks  facing  each 
other,  with  axes  presented.) 

Escort:  "Venerable  Consul,  this  candidate  has  re- 
ceived the  final  obligation,  and  comes  before  you  for  fur- 
ther direction." 

Consul:  "My  Son,  before  you  can  receive  the  full 
mysteries  of  Woodcraft,  you  must  undergo  a  test  of  your 
physical  ability  to  do  the  practical  work  of  a  Wood- 
man. I  now  place  you  in  the  hands  of  these  Merry 
Foresters.  Go  with  them,  obey  them,  and  fear  not." 

(The  candidate  is  hoodwinked,  placed  upon  the  Camp 
Goat,  and  rode  rapidly  around  the  Camp  hall  three  or 
four  times,  care  being  taken  not  to  be  too  rough,  while 
all  the  neighbors  sing  the  "Banner  of  Woodcraft.") 


187 

(After  this  the  candidate  is  taken  from  his  "fiery 
steed,"  and  the  hoodwink  removed.  He  is  then  placed 
over  the  saw-buck  and  a  stick  of  wood,  with  a  saw  in 
his  hand.) 

Chief  Forester:  "We  will  now  test  your  ability  by 
giving  you  two  minutes  in  which  to  saw  in  two  this  stick 
of  wood.  Go  to  work." 

(The  Chief  Forester  takes  out  his  watch  and  times  the 
candidate,  whilst  the  Foresters  sing  a  song.  The  stick 
of  wood  should  be  a  very  tough  one,  and  if  the  saw  is 
dull  the  task  is  more  difficult.) 

(Whilst  the  candidate  is  sawing  the  wood  one  of  the 
Foresters  is  pretending  to  be  heating  the  ladle  over  the 
fire;  the,  bottom  of  the  ladle  is  painted  red,  to  make  it 
look  as  though  it  is  red-hot,  and  it  contains  quicksilver, 
which  resembles  melted  lead.  As  the  stick  is  sawed 
through,  the  Chief  Forester  says:) 

Chief  Forester:  "Well  done,  noble  Woodman;  we 
will  now  try  your  courage." 

(Foresters  bring  the  test.) 

(The  Foresters  then  form  a  circle  around  their  chief 
and  the  candidate,  while  one  of  the  Foresters  brings  the 
ladle  and  presents  it  to  candidate.) 

Chief  Forester :  "Woodman,  if  you  are  a  brave  man, 
you  will  place  your  fingers  in  this  melted  lead,  and  thus 
show  to  these  Foresters  that  you  are  worthy  of  the  com- 
panionship of  brave  men ;  and  that  you  are  obedient  to 
the  command  of  your  Chief.'' 

(If  the  candidate  refuses,  the  Chief  Forester  will  say : 
"I  will  give  you  until  I  count  three  to  obey  me."  If 
candidate  still  refuses  the  Foresters  shall  all  say :  "Noble 
Chief,  forbare  the  test."  If  candidate  complies  with 


188 

the  request,  the  Chief  Forester  shall  grasp  him  by  the 
hand  and  say:  "Thou  are  truly  a  brave  man  and  well 
worthy.") 

Chief  Forester :  "My  Son,  you  must  now  receive  the 
brand  of  Woodcraft,  for  all  true  Woodmen  must  be  so 
marked  that  they  may  be  known  among  men.  This  not 
only  enables  you  to  be  identified  when  you  need  help, 
but  it  protects  the  order  against  fraudulent  death  claims. 
In  every  case  of  death  the  body  can  be  identified. 

Escort :  "Worthy  Chief,  we  have  with  us  a  Woodman 
who  has  already  been  adopted,  but,  owing  to  sickness, 
could  not  be  branded  at  the  last  meeting.  Shall  he  be 
branded  now?" 

Chief  Forester:     "Bring  him  forth." 

(Escort  brings  forward  a  Woodman,  whose  coat  and 
vest  are  taken  off,  his  shirt  opened,  displaying  his  naked 
back;  when  in  position.) 

Chief  Forester :  "Forester,  bring  forth  the  branding 
iron." 

(A  Forester  brings  forward  the  branding  iron,  which 
is  painted  and  made  to  look  like  red-hot  iron,  and  so 
that  the  smoke  is  forced  out  when  it  touches  the  back.) 

Chief  Forester:  '""Woodman,  art  thou  prepared  to 
undergo  this  test,  in  order  to  become  one  of  us,  and  that 
you  may  be  known  among  woodmen  ?" 

Woodman :     "I  am." 

Chief  Forester :    "Foresters,  do  your  duty." 

(While  the  two  Foresters  hold  the  Woodman,  the 
Forester  strikes  the  back  with  the  branding  iron,  making 
the  letters  'M.  W.  A.'  The  supposed  victim  yells  with 
pain,  and  the  smoke  arises  from  the  back.) 


189 

Chief  Forester  (turning  to  candidate)  :  You  will  now 
prepare  for  this  test." 

(If  candidate  refuses,  one  of  the  Foresters  suggests 
that  he  be  permitted  to  be  branded  at  another  meeting, 
when  he  has  recovered  from  the  effects  of  the  present 
scene.  Which,  of  course,  is  granted.  If  he  consents,  he 
is  stripped  to  the  bare  back,  and  the  Forester  ordered  to 
use  the  branding  iron;  if  the  candidate  does  not  flinch, 
the  Chief  Forester  shall  say :  "0,  twice  brave  man,  and 
twice  welcome  to  our  Camp."  Before  the  Chief  Forester 
says  this,  however,  he  says :  "Forester,  strike  the  brand 
deep  into  the  flesh,"  and  the  Forester  strikes  the  back 
with  a  piece  of  ice,  which  gives  a  burning  sensation.) 

Chief  Forester :  "Foresters,  we  will  now  conduct  the 
stranger  to  the  Venerable  Consul." 

(Escort  and  candidate,  with  the  Foresters,  march  and 
countermarch  around  the  hall  to  the  Consul's  station.) 

Chief  Forester:  "Venerable  Consul,  we  present  you 
this  candidate,  who  has  undergone  successfully  all  physi- 
cal tests." 

Consul :  "My  son,  I  congratulate  you  upon  your  cour- 
age and  endurance.  You  have  earned  the  right  to  work 
in  the  forest." 

(The  Escort  pretends  to  pour  colored  liquid  into  two 
glasses,  the  glasses  being  so  made  as  to  look  as  though 
they  contained  the  liquid,  but  really  when  held  to  the 
lips  nothing  flows  from  them.  The  Escort  hands  the 
glass  to  Consul.) 

Consul :  "My  Son,  I  now  ask  you  to  drink  with  me  to 
your  health  and  future  success.  (Handing  glass  to  can- 
didate, and  pretends  to  drink  himself.) 


190 

(If  candidate  attempts  to  drink,  of  course  he  fails,  and 
the  Venerable  Consul  says)  : 

Consul :  "My  Son,  this  incident  is  to  teach  you  the 
deceptiveness  of  the  wine-cup.  Let  it  be  a  lesson  to  you 
in  sobriety.  I  will  now  read  to  you  a  portion  of  our 
Fundamental  Laws,  which  should  be  a  guide  to  you  in 
your  future  conduct.  (He  reads  from  Section  'B'  of  Di- 
vision 'O/  Fundamental  Laws),  as  follows:  'If  com- 
plaint is  made  to  the  Head  Consul  that  a  Neighbor  is 
notoriously  intemperate  or  immoral,  or  has  engaged  in  a 
business  or  occupation  on  the  prohibited  list,  except  as 
provided  in  Division  %'  Section  'B,'  he  may  require  the 
Camp  to  proceed  to  investigate  the  matter,  in  accordance 
with  Division  'E,'  Standard  Local  Camp  By-Laws. 
Should  the  Camp  fail  to  expel  him,  the  Head  Consul 
shall  investigate  the  matter,  and  if  he  finds  that  the 
Neighbor  is  guilty  as  charged,  he  may  suspend  said 
Camp  and  all  its  members  until  said  Camp  shall  expel 
said  accused/ 

(If  the  stranger  refuses  to  drink,  the  Venerable  Con- 
sul says)  : 

Consul :  "My  Son,  by  this  act  you  have  given  us  great 
evidence  of  your  sobriety.  May  your  conduct  continue 
in  the  line  of  virtue  and  temperance."  (Here  the  Consul 
reads  from  Section  'B/  Division  'O/  as  above.) 

Consul:  "Escort,  you  will  now  conduct  the  stranger 
to  the  ante-room,  and  afterwards  attend  him  in  his  fur- 
ther steps  in  Woodcraft." 

(Escort  and  stranger  march  and  countermarch  with 
the  Foresters  to  the  ante-room.) 


19] 
PART  II. 

(Escort  and  candidate  are  now  clothed  in  the  uniform 
of  the  Foresters.  The  Escort,  advancing  to  the  inner 
door,  gives  three  raps;  the  Watchman  repeats  three  raps, 
and  opens  door.) 

Watchman:    "What  means  this  intrusion?" 

Escort :  "We  are  seeking  further  instruction  in  Wood- 
craft/' 

Watchman :  "Advance  to  the  station  of  the  Venerable 
Consul,  and  be  careful  that  you  heed  his  admonition." 

(The  Foresters  meet  the  Escort  and  candidate  at  the 
inner  door,  and  march  with  them  to  the  Consul's  sta- 
tion. ) 

Escort:  "This  candidate  comes  before  you,  Venera- 
ble Consul,  for  further  instruction." 

Consul :  "My  Son,  I  will  now  give  you  the  secrets  of 
Woodcraft,  that  you  may  possess  more  of  the  Arcana, 
and  be  in  full  fellowship  with  these  Foresters." 

(Takes  with  his  right  hand  the  right  hand  of  candi- 
date, and  teaches  him  the  grip. ) 

This  being  done  and  explanations  made  about  the 
signs  and  countersigns,  the  Consul  says: 

"The  Tracians,  every  evening  before  they  slept  were 
accustomed  to  cast  into  an  urn  a  white  pebble  if  the  day 
had  been  passed  pleasantly,  but  if  not,  a  black  one.  At 
their  death,  by  counting  the  pebbles,  their  lives  were 
judged  to  have  been  happy  or  otherwise. 

"The  Modern  Woodmen  are  expected  at  each  meeting 
of  the  Camp  to  deposit  a  pebble.  If  they  have  been  hap- 
py and  comfortable  during  the  time  intervening  since 
the  last  meeting,  a  white  pebble  will  be  deposited;  if 


192 

otherwise,  a  black  one.  At  the  proper  time  each  evening 
the  pebbles  will  be  counted  and  discussed.  After  depos- 
iting the  pebble  you  will  be  at  liberty  to  take  a  seat  with 
your  Neighbors  of  the  Camp. 

"The  working  tools  of  this  Camp  are  the  Beetle,  Axe 
and  Wedge.  By  practical  artisans  these  tools  have  been 
used  to  clear  the  forests  and  let  civilization,  commerce 
and  arts  occupy  the  ground.  They  fitly  symbolize  indus- 
try, power  and  progress.  Drones  can  see  no  poetry  in 
the  homely  appliances  of  labor,  but  the  philosopher  sees 
in  them  subjects  for  thought  and  practical  demonstra- 
tion. The  branches  of  palm,  the  five  stars  and  shield 
are  also  emblems  of  our  Fraternity.  The  palm  signifies 

peace,  the  five  stars  light  and  the  shield  safety. 
*  *  *» 

(A  recess  is  now  taken  for  about  five  minutes,  and 
the  Venerable  Consul  calls  the  Camp  to  order),  and 
says: 

"My  Son,  you  will  please  take  your  position  at  the 
altar.  (Candidate  is  placed  in  position  by  the  Escort.) 
Are  you  now  a  Woodman  and  ready  to  assume  a  Wood- 
man's duties?" 

Candidate:    "I  am." 

Consul :  "My  Son,  you  are  now  to  be  tried  by  a  more 
severe  test  than  any  yet  given  you.  You  must  act  with 
fortitude  and  moral  courage,  and  all  will  be  well.  You 
will  be  conducted  by  the  Escort  and  these  Foresters  to 
the  camp-fire,  and  you  will  obey  the  instruction  of  the 
Chief  Forester." 

(The  candidate  is  now  hoodwinked  and  marched 
around  the  hall  with  the  Foresters  to  the  camp-fire, 
which  has  been  prepared  while  the  candidate  is  hood- 


193 

winked.  Lights  are  turned  down  in  the  hall  and  the 
camp-fire  is  lighted.  The  sawmill  is  placed  in  position 
a  little  way  from  the  camp-fire.  The  hrush  and  stake  at 
which  the  Escort  is  to  be  burned  is  concealed  in  readi- 
ness. The  Foresters  form  a  circle,  with  the  Chief,  Es- 
cort and  stranger  in  the  center.  The  hoodwink  is  then 
taken  from  the  stranger.) 

Chief  Forester :  "Woodman,  we  are  now  getting  into 
the  forest  of  Brotherly  Love,  for  our  daily  work,  and  you 
and  your  friendly  Escort  are  to  remain  here  to  watch 
the  camp-fire  and  protect  the  same.  In  this  forest  is  a 
band  of  outlaws,  they  prey  on  their  fellow  men.  They 
have  long  desired  the  secrets  of  Woodcraft,  that  they 
might  pass  unmolested  through  the  different  parts  of 
the  forest.  You  must  always  be  on  your  guard,  never 
to  divulge  to  them  the  secrets  of  Woodcraft.  Will  you 
be  true  to  your  obligation?" 

"Candidate :    "I  will." 

Chief  Forester:  "We  will  now  leave  you  and  go  to 
our  work." 

(The  Foresters  now  form  and  march  out,  singing  one 
verse  of  the  "Woodman's  Jubilee  Song"  and  chorus. 
The  Escort  and  stranger  seat  themselves  by  the  camp- 
fire.) 

Escort:  "Stranger,  in  the  dark  recess  of  this  forest, 
where  we  have  pitched  this  Camp,  the  solitude  is  to  me 
awe-inspiring.  I  dread  the  approach  of  the  outlaws,  who 
have  sworn  to  obtain  the  secrets  of  Woodcraft,  even  by 
murder,  if  necessary.  Hark;  I  hear  footsteps  and 
voices." 

(With  wild  yells,  the  outlaws  enter  the  camp,  and 
bind  the  stranger  and  the  Escort.  These  outlaws  may 


194 

be  from  four  to  six,  according  to  the  size  of  the  Camp, 
and  if  the  Camp  is  very  small,  some  of  those  who  acted 
as  Foresters  can  disguise  themselves  and  re-appear  as 
outlaws.  The  outlaws  should  wear  black  masks,  and  as- 
sume the  disguise  fitted  to  the  part.) 

Chief  Outlaw:  "We  demand  the  secrets  of  Wood- 
craft. Be  quick ;  we  have  no  time  to  parley." 

Escort :    "We  will  not  give  them  to  you." 

Chief  Outlaw :  "Bring  this  man  to  the  stake,  and  we 
will  see  if  his  spirit  is  stronger  than  his  flesh." 

(The  Escort  is  bound  to  the  stake,  and  some  brush 
piled  around  him,  and  the  candidate  is  now  hood- 
winked. ) 

Chief  Outlaw :    "Men,  apply  the  torch." 

(A  light  is  then  made,  by  burning  a  newspaper  in  a 
tin  bucket  of  some  sort,  or  by  red  fire,  and  the  Escort 
cries  in  a  loud  voice,  I-H-L-T-B-C,  Help !  Help !  Help ! 
Or  I  die.) 

Chief  Outlaw:    "You  shall  die  and  no  one  can  help 

you." 

(The  Escort  is  now  unbound  from  the  stake  and  laid 
upon  the  floor  and  covered  with  a  sheet.  Instead  of  the 
brush  formerly  used  around  the  stake,  it  is  replaced  by 
half -burned  brush,  which  has  been  prepared  beforehand. 
The  hoodwink  is  taken  from  the  candidate. 

Chief  Outlaw :  "Behold  the  funeral  pyre  of  your  dead 
comrade.  (Pointing  to  the  stake.)  There  lies  his  dead 
body.  Pointing  to  the  sheet.)  Now  will  you  give  me 
the  secrets  of  Woodcraft  ?" 

Candidate:  (Makes  his  own  answer,  or,  perhaps,  re- 
fuses to  answer.) 


195 

Chief  Outlaw:  "Think  not  you  will  escape  so  easily 
as  with  even  the  horrible  death  of  your  companion.  We 
know  how  to  torture,  and  we  must  have  the  secrets  of 
Woodcraft.  Men,  prepare  the  rack." 

(The  candidate  is  again  hoodwinked,  and  bound  to 
the  carriage,  and  the  saw  is  started  in  motion,  and  the 
candidate  slowly  approaches  the  saw,  the  hoodwink  being 
removed.) 

Chief  Outlaw :  ( The  Chief  Forester's  whistle  is  heard 
in  the  distance.)  ''Men,  the  Woodmen  are  coming. 
(Leaning  over  the  Woodman  on  the  carriage.)  Give  me 
the  word,  and  I  will  release  you;  if  you  do  not,  I  will 
leave  you  here  to  die  this  horrible  death  before  the  For- 
esters can  return." 

(If  the  candidate  still  refuses,  one  of  the  outlaws  whis- 
pers to  the  Chief  Outlaw,  so  that  he  can  be  overheard 
by  the  candidate:  "Are  you  sure  the  machine  is  all 
right?"  The  other  whispers :  "I  suppose  so/'  The  out- 
laws then  withdraw.  All  is  perfectly  still,  and  the  car- 
riage slowly  moves  the  candidate  closer  to  the  revolving 
saw.  Just  as  the  body  of  the  candidate  is  about  to  touch 
the  saw  the  Foresters  return.  The  saw  is  stopped  in 
the  motion,  and  the  candidate  unbound  and  released.) 

Chief  Forester :  "You  have  proven  a  worthy  Neighbor, 
and  that  you  would  give  your  life  rather  than  betray  the 
secrets  of  Woodcraft." 

(The  candidate  is  now  conducted  to  the  position  in 
front  of  the  Venerable  Consul.  The  lights  are  turned 
up,  and  the  Camp  hall  put  in  order.) 

Chief  Forester:  "Venerable  Consul,  we  return  this 
man  with  our  approbation.  He  has  worthily  undergone 
the  great  test/' 


196 

Consul:  "My  Son,  you  are  now  at  the  end  of  your 
journey.  (Dips  his  hand  in  perfume,  and  showers  it 
gently  over  the  candidate.)  By  the  token  of  this  fra- 
grant perfume,  I  welcome  you  at  our  camp-fire.  May  the 
happiness  of  you  and  yours  be  augmented  by  this  act. 
May  your  life  as  a  Woodman  be  worthy  of  the  confidence 
we  bestow  upon  you  as  our  Neighbor;  and,  like  sweet  in- 
cense and  the  odor  of  this  perfume,  may  your  influence 
be  pleasant  to  all  about  you,  and  honorable  to  the  Fra- 
ternity to  which  you  now  belong." 

The  founder  of  the  Modern  Woodmen,  J.  C.  Root,  in 
June,  1890,  at  Omaha,  Neb.,  founded  the  "Woodmen  of 
the  World."  But  there  is  no  relation  between  the  two 
orders,  except  that  the  same  man  founded  both,  that  they 
employ  similar  emblems,  and  based  on  the  same  Masonic 
spirit. 

Royal  Neighbors  of  America  is  the  Woman  Branch  of 
the  Woodmen's  Fraternity. 

Surely,  Catholics  reading  carefully  what  I  say  about 
this  Order  understand  readily  how  much  they  have  been 
deceived  when  they  join  the  Order  and  how  they  should 
lose  no  time  in  severing  their  connection  therewith. 

OWLS  OF  WOODCRAFT. 

About  the  Owls  of  Woodcraft,  the  following  explains 
itself: 

"From  the  correspondence  that  has  come  to  my  desk 
and  applications  for  copies  of  the  ritual,  I  am  satisfied 
the  membership  of  the  Modern  Woodmen  want  the  boys' 
auxiliary,  the  Patriotic  Owls  of  Woodcraft.  There  was 
some  delay  in  printing  the  rituals,  owing  to  some  minor 


197 

changes  I  deemed  it  advisable  to  make.  The  Fraternity 
is  founded  upon  principles  of  patriotism- and  honor,  and 
seeks  to  inculcate  these  principles,  while  at  the  same 
time  it  contains  dramatic  and  military  incidents  which 
are  intended  to  attract  and  hold  the  youth.  I  want  the 
ritual  carefully  examined,  and  am  willing  to  trust  any 
Woodman  to  have  access  to  it.  Hence,  any  Woodman 
who  sends  me  one  dollar,  together  with  a  certificate 
from  his  Camp  Clerk,  will  receive  a  copy.  The  receipt 
for  this  one  dollar  will  be  received  in  part  payment  for 
a  charter,  the  price  of  which.  Avith  supplies,  is  fifteen 
dollars. 

"I  have  yet  to  hear  other  than  words  of  praise  for  the 
proposition,  and  I  have  faith  to  believe  it  will  prove  a 
potent  factor  in  the  advancement  of  Woodcraft.  Ad- 
dress all  communications  to 

"C.  E.  WHELAN, 
"Madison,  Wisconsin." 


CHAPTER  XXX. 

IMPROVED  ORDER  OF  RED  MEN. 

This  society  claims  to  be  the  oldest  secret  society  of 
purely  American  origin  in  existence.  This  claim  rests 
on  its  being  a  virtual  continuation  of  the  Sons  of  Lib- 
erty, formed  prior  to  the  War  of  the  Revolution,  and  the 
secret  societies  to  which  the  latter  gave  birth. 

In  1765  Colonel  Barre  made  the  memorable  speech  in 
the  House  of  Commons  against  taxation  of  the  Ameri- 
cans. In  reply  to  Charles  Townshend's  assertion  that 
the  colonies  had  been  cared  for  and  nourished  by  the 
indulgence  of  the  British  Government,  Barre  scornfully 
denied  it,  saying  that  care  was  exercised  in  sending  unfit 
persons  as  Governors  to  rule  over  them — men  whose  be- 
havior on  many  occasions  had  caused  the  blood  of  th<>-c 
"Sons  of  Liberty"  to  recoil  within  them.  A  secret  or- 
ganization had  been,  formed  of  citizens  of  Maryland  in 
1764-65  to  protest  against  the  unjust  and  oppressive 
British  legislation  affecting  the  American  colonies. 
Hearing  of  the  speech  of  Barre,  they  at  once  assumed  the 
name  "Sons  of  Liberty."  The  activity  of  the  Sons  of 
Liberty  at  Baltimore  and  elsewhere  in  Maryland  as  early 
as  1766-77,  gave  rise  to  the  organization  of  St.  George's, 
St.  Andrew's  and  St.  David's  societies  in  that  state,  com- 
posed of  those  who  were  loyal  to  the  British  crown,  and 
it  is  explained  that  in  order  to  ridicule  those  organiza- 
tions, the  Sons  of  Liberty  claimed  the  patronage  of  an 


199 

undoubted  American,  an  Indian  Chief  named  "Tamina," 
whose  life  and  exploits  they  professed  to  trace  from  his 
own  descendants.  They  called  themselves  Sons  of  St. 
Tamina,  afterwards  Tammany.  Members  of  this  society, 
in  1813,  organized  the  Order  of  Red  Men,  and  from  this 
the  Improved  Order  of  Red  Men  was  established,  in 
1834,  at  Baltimore.  Their  ritual  was  framed  on  Ma- 
sonic principles  and  the  nomenclature,  legends,  customs 
and  ceremonies  of  the  aboriginal  Americans  introduced. 
Thus  we  have  among  the  officers :  Great  Incohonee, 
Groat  Sachem,  Sagamore,  Sannap,  Prophet,  Braves  and 
Hunters.  The  members  are  said  to  attend  a  Council,  in 
a  Wigwam,  on  a  certain  Sun  of  a  certain  Moon  of  the 
Great  Sun  (year  of  discovery,  i.  e.,  discovery  of  America; 
from  which  they  take  their  date).  The  Great  Sun  com- 
mences on  the  first  Cold  Council.  Fire  is  kindled,  in- 
stead of  the  meeting  being  opened,  and  the  close  is  de- 
scribed as  the  quenching  of  the  Council  Fire.  Fathoms, 
feet  and  inches  stand  for  dollars,  dimes  and  cents.  Every 
adopted  paleface  receives  a  new  name,  often  that  of  an 
animal,  bird,  or  some  quality  or  characteristic  of  mind  or 
body.  The  Council  opens  and  closes  with  prayer. 

At  the  proper  time,  the  Sachem  says :  "Brothers,  you 
will  now  rise,  while  our  beloved  Prophet  invokes  the 
Great  Spirit." 

The  Prophet  will  approach  the  place  of  the  council 
brand  and  repeat  the  following : 

"0,  Thou  Great  Spirit  of  the  universe,  good  and  pow- 
erful as  Thou  art,  whose  power  is  displayed  in  the  splen- 
dor of  the  sun,  the  glories  of  the  night,  the  foliage  of  the 
forest,  the  roaring  of  the  rivers  and  the  great  waters  of 
the  deep,  look  down  from  Thy  majestic  throne  of  grace 


200 

and  shed  Thy  bounties  upon  all  Bed  Men  of  the  forest. 
Do  Thou,  Great  Spirit,  inspire  each  Eed  Man's  breast 
with  that  holy  courage  that  will  teach  him  to  paddle  his 
canoe  safely  to  'that  undiscovered  country,  from  whose 
bourne  no  traveler  returns.'  Teach  him  truth,  wisdom, 
'and  brotherly  love  toward  his  fellow  Eed  Men.  Grant 
that  our  walks  be  upright  and  pleasing  in  Thy  sight. 
Banish  all  discord  from  our  councils,  that  our  Council 
Fire  may  forever  burn  to  Thy  glory.  Bless  us  with  plen- 
ty, and  reward  our  labors  two-fold.  May  the  Eed  Man 
and  the  paleface  be  friends.  Enable  us  to  prove  by  our 
good  works  that  we  are  brethren,  and  show  the  stranger 
that  with  us  virtue,  charity,  love,  peace,  freedom  and 
friendship  dwell.  Inspire  our  Great  Councils  with  wis- 
dom, that  they  may  be  able  to  guide  their  respective 
Tribes  in  the  right  path,  that  they  do  not  go  astray  and 
follow  the  path  of  the  evil  spirit.  Preserve  our  homes 
from  danger,  and  make  us  wise  and  virtuous.  Teach  us 
the  trail  we  must  follow  while  we  live  in  this  forest,  and 
when  it  is  Thy  will  that  we  shall  cross  the  river  of  death, 
take  us  to  Thyself,  where  Thy  Council  Fire  of  Love  and 
Glory  burneth  forever  in  righteousness.  0  Thou,  Great 
Spirit,  hear  us." 

Brothers  respond :  "0  Thou,  Great  Spirit,  hear  us." 
The  initiation  is  similar  to  what  takes  place  in  other 
lodges.  The  candidate  is  partly  undressed,  blindfolded, 
a  rope  tied  around  his  waist  and  moccasins  put  on  his 
feet.  Having  gone  through  some  preliminary  perform- 
ances, the  following  takes  place : 

Guard  of  Wigwam:    "Who  comes  there?" 


201 

Junior  Sagamore:  "The  Junior  Sagamore,  with  a 
pale  face,  whom  the  hunters  have  captured  in  the  for- 
est." 

( The  Guard  advances  in  the  direction  of  Senior  Saga- 
more and  says)  : 

Guard  of  Wigwam:  "Senior  Sagamore,  the  Junior 
reports  the  capture  of  a  pale  face,  found  astray  in  the 
sacred  home  of  the  Eed  Man." 

Senior  Sagamore :    "Admit  them." 

(Enter  Junior  with  Braves,  Warriors,  paleface  and 
Scouts.  The  Scouts  remain  standing  at  the  inner 
wicket.  The  First  Sannap  leaves  his  position,  and 
watches  every  movement  of  the  Chiefs.  The  others  trail 
once  around  the  council  chamber,  halting  a  short  dis- 
tance in  front  of  the  Senior's  tepee,  who,  beholding  the 
captive,  rushes  toward  him  with  uplifted  knife,  but  is 
intercepted  by  the  Junior,  who  says)  : 

Junior  Sagamore :  "Hold,  Senior.  Our  Warriors  and 
Braves  have  decided  that  the  captive  shall  be  tortured  at 
the  stake." 

Senior  Sagamore :  "At  the  stake !  Then  let  us  pro- 
ceed. Pale  face,  you  have  been  captured  by  the  Braves, 
and  unless  some  Chief  interposes,  you  perish  at  the  stake. 
Why  do  you  tempt  your  fate;  or  is  it  your  wish  to  be- 
come a  Ked  Man  ?" 

(The  pale  face  must  answer  affirmatively,  or  he  can- 
not proceed.) 

Senior  Sagamore:  "Know,  then,  that  Ked  Men  are 
without  fear,  and  none  but  such  can  be  adopted  by  our 
Tribe.  Are  you  a  man  of  courage  ?" 

(Pale  face  answers.) 

Senior  Sagamore:    "Then,  before  you  can  be  admit- 


202 

ted,  you  must  prove  yourself  such.  The  honest  and  brave 
man  meets  death  with  a  smile :  the  guilty  tremble  at  the 
very  thought. 

"Warriors,  seize  your  prisoner — bind  him  to  the 
stake." 

(The  Warriors  seize  pale  face  and  bind  him  to  the 
stake  with  thongs. ) 

Senior  Sagamore :  "Too  often  have  we  been  deceived 
by  pale  faces,  who  professed  friendship  and  bravery,  but 
who  repaid  our  hospitality  with  ingratitude  and  treach- 
ery. What  they  have  been,  I  fear  he  is — a  spy.  There- 
fore, prepare  your  keenest  and  brightest  scalping  knives, 
and  your  weightiest  war  clubs.  Our  brave  Junior  Saga- 
more will  superintend  the  execution." 

Junior  Sagamore :  "Warriors,  prepare  for  the  execu- 
tion. Braves,  make  ready  and  pile  high  the  fagots.  He 
has  declared  he  is  a  man  without  fear.  The  flames  from 
the  fagots  will  test  his  boasted  courage.  Proceed." 

(The  Warriors  will  secure  their  war  clubs,  the  Braves 
will  gather  the  fagots,  and  place  them  at  the  feet  of  the 
pale  face  and  around  the  stake ;  they  will  place  two  cones 
of  red  fire  on  each  side  of  the  stake.  When  this  is  done, 
the  Junior  says)  : 

Junior  Sagamore :    "Braves,  light  the  fagots." 

(Two  of  the  Braves  will  light  the  cones,  and,  at  a 
signal  from  the  Junior,  the  Warriors  and  Braves,  led  by 
the  Junior,  will  perform  a  scalp  dance  around  the  pale 
face.  The  First  Sannap,  having  observed  what  was  tak- 
ing place,  hurries  to  the  Prophet's  tepee,  and  explains 
by  signs  the  situation  to  him.  The  Prophet,  leaving  his 
tepee  and  coming  nearer  the  scene,  perceiving  the  danger 
of  the  pale  face,  exclaims) : 


203 

Prophet:    "Hold." 

(He  rushes  into  the  group  and  to  the  captive,  scatters 
the  fagots,  and  seizing  a  knife  from  the  Junior  Saga- 
more, cuts  the  thongs  that  bind  the  pale  face,  and,  look- 
ing at  the  Warriors  and  Braves,  says)  : 

Prophet:  "Is  it  fit  that  you  should  execute  on  sus- 
picion alone?  Is  it  not  more  becoming  of  Eed  Men  to 
show  mercy  to  the  stranger  who  has  been  found  astray 
in  the  forest?  The  tomahawk  has  been  buried,  and  the 
innocence  of  his  intent  has  been  proven  by  his  courage. 
I  pronounce  him  a  man  without  fear.  Eetire.  (Turn- 
ing to  the  captive,  he  continues)  :  Pale  face.  Kishe  Man- 
itou  saw  fit  to  create  the  red  skin  and  the  white,  there- 
fore they  should  be  brothers ;  but  the  speaking  books  of 
the  pale  faces  teach  them  wisdom,  which  makes  them 
mistrustful  and  covetous.  With  the  children  of  the  for- 
est it  is  otherwise.  All  their  wealth  and  stock  belongs 
to  the  Tribe  in  common.  Honor  is  given  to  whom  honor 
is  due;  and  they  hold  it  to  be  their  duty,  in  every  case  of 
difficulty  and  danger,  to  assist  a  brother. 
•  "Pale  face,  1  understand  that  you  have  said  that  you 
wished  to  be  "numbered  with  our  Tribe;  if  so,  I  would  ad- 
vise our  well-tried  Junior  Sagamore  to  refer  your  case 
to  our  Sachem,  and,  if  accepted  by  him,  he  will  impart 
to  you  that  which  will  make  the  forest  as  free  to  you  as 
the  air  is  to  the  eagle,  and  every  Red  Alan  you  meet  will 
know  you  as  a  brother. 

"Pale  face,  I  have  done." 

(Prophet  now  retires  to  his  station,  and  the  Junior 
Sagamore  steps  up  to  the  pale  face.) 

Junior  Sagamore:     "At  the  recommendation  of  our 


204 

Prophet  I  will  refer  your  case  to  our  Sachem.  What 
says  our  Senior  Sagamore?" 

Senior  Sagamore:  "What  the  Prophet  says  is  good. 
To  your  care,  caution  and  bravery,  T  commit  the  cap- 
tive." 

Junior  Sagamore :  "Know,  then,  that  no  paleface  dare 
approach  the  presence  of  our  Sachem  until  he  shall  have 
obliged  himself  to  lock  up,  in  the  inmost  recess  of  his 
bosom,  all  he  may  hear  and  see,  in  the  council  chamber, 
which  is  to  be  kept  secret  from  all  persons  not  members 
of  the  Improved  Order  of  Red  Men.  Are  you  willing 
to  take  this  pledge  of  honor ?  (Answers.)  Braves,  con- 
duct the  pale  face  to  our  beloved  Prophet."  (Braves 
conduct  the  pale  face  to  the  Prophet,  when  the  Junior 
introduces  him  thus :) 

Junior  Sagamore:  "Venerable  Prophet,  this  is  the 
pale  face  whose  life  you  caused  to  be  spared.  He  wishes 
to  take  the  pledge  of  honor." 

Prophet :  "Pale  face,  it  is  a  duty  incumbent  on  me, 
before  you  can  be  introduced  to  our  Sachem,  to  adminis- 
ter to  you  a  sacred  pledge  of  honor,  one  which  I  assure 
you  will  in  no  wise  conflict  with  your  civil  or  religious 
liberty.  Let  your  thoughts  be  seriously  upon  your  pledge, 
while  you  repeat  it  after  me. 

"Therefore,  place  your  left  hand  over  your  heart,  ex- 
tend your  right  hand  toward  heaven,  palm  outward,  and 

repeat,  saying  your  name  when  I  say  mine :  I, — , 

being  desirous  of  becoming  acquainted  with  the  mysteries 
of  the  Improved  Order  of  Red  Men,  do  hereby  solemnly 
promise  and  declare  that  I  will  keep  secret  from  all  per- 
sons, except  such  as  shall  prove  to  be  Improved  Red 


205 

Men,  all  signs,  passwords,  and  other  matters  that  are 
to  be  kept  secret.  And  I  do  further  promise,  that  I  will 
never  attempt  to  kindle  a  council  fire  unless  I  am  duly 
and  regularly  authorized  so  to  do,  or  assist,  or  participate 
in  any  council,  the  fire  of  which  has  been  kindled  by  a 
suspended  or  expelled  brother,  or  any  person  not  author- 
ized by  the  Great  Council  of  the  United  States  to  kindle 
the  same.  To  all  this  I  promise  and  pledge  my  sacred 
honor,  without  intending  any  evasion  whatsover.  So  help 
me  the  Great  Spirit. 

(The  Prophet  will  continue:) 

Prophet:  "Your  pledge  of  honor  has  been  given, 
which  we  in  faith  accept.  A  token  of  my  favor  you  must 
bear  and  to  our  Sachem  give,  ere  all  the  signs  and  mys- 
teries of  this  degree  are  revealed.  (Presents  him  with 
eagle's  plume.)  Behold — the  eagle's  plume — fit  emblem 
to  bear  to  him  to  gain  the  knowledge  you  crave.  May 
the  Great  Spirit  bless  and  safely  guide  you." 

Junior  Sagamore :  "Braves,  conduct  the  pale  face  to 
our  Sachem." 

(The  Braves  conduct  him  within  a  short  distance  of 
the  tepee,  and  then  retire  to  rear  of  pale  face.  The  War- 
riors all  rise  suddenly,  and  with  uplifted  clubs  rush  to- 
ward pale  face,  the  Junior  warding  off  the  threatened 
blows.) 

The  pale  face  is  soon  instructed  in  the  secret  work  and 
declared  a  member  of  the  tribe.  Besides  the  Adoption 
Degree  there  are  the  Hunters'  Degree,  the  Warriors'  De- 
gree and  the  Chief's  Degree.  For  brevity's  sake  I  will 
give  only  the  ceremonies  of  the  highest  or  Chief's  De- 
gree. 

The  degree  application  having  been  balloted  for,  the 


206 

Sachem  will  direct  the  Sannap  to  retire  to  the  forest, 
\vhf>re,  finding  the  candidate  for  exaltation,  he  will  pre- 
sent him  with  the  Red  Tomahawk  and  White  Feathered 
.Arrow.  All  the  lights  in  the  wigwam  must  be  extin- 
guished except  the  council  fire.  After  a  few  breaths,  the 
Sachem  will  say : 

Sachem :  "'"'Guard  the  wicket,  let  the  warning  be 
given/'* 

Sannap:  "The  Sannap  and  a  runner  from  the  War- 
riors' Council,  bearing  a  message  to  the  Chiefs.'' 

Sachem :    "Let  them  be  admitted." 

(As  soon  as  the)'  have  entered  the  wigwam,  the  two 
Pow-wows  will  advance  and  receive  the  warrior  *  *  * 
the  Prophet  will  remove  the  outer  covering  from  en- 
trance to  his  tent,  which  will  then  be  screened  only  by 
the  transparency  of  a  human  skeleton.  He  will  light  the 
council  brand  behind  the  skeleton  and  exclaim)  : 

Prophet:  "The  Great  Spirit  is  offended  at  his  red 
children,  and  has  withdrawn  the  visible  symbol  of  his 
pleasure.  The  spirit  of  darkness  has  gone  abroad,  and 
spread  its  sable  mantle  over  the  once  smiling  bosoms  of 
creation.  The  azure  heaven  above,  the  green  earth  be- 
neath, the  pleasing  foliage  of  the  forest,  the  shining 
bosoms  of  the  lakes,  the  rippling  waters  of  the  swift  run- 
ning rivers,  arid  the  variegated  hues  of  the  angry  wa\<- 
of  the  great  oceans  which  surround  our  land — all,  all 
have  merged  into  darkness  and  disappeared.  The  beasts 
of  prey  have  gone  forth,  the  ravenous  wolf  breaks  the 
dismal  gloom  with  his  sanguinary  bark,  the  stealthy  pan- 
ther utters  his  piteous  but  deceptive  cries;  all,  all  is 
darkness  and  desolation.  Let  us  invoke  the  Great  Spirit 
for  mercy,  for  life,  for  light.  (The  Prophet  removes  the 


207 

skeleton  and  says)  :  Oh,  thou  Great  Spirit,  bless  every 
heart  sincere  in  freedom's  cause.  Bless  our  fraternal 
band;  in  friendship  may  it  stand.  Extend  it  thro'  the 
land,  by  Thy  Almighty  power." 

(A  few  more  verses  of  similar  incantations  are  said 
and  a  Wampum  Belt  is  given  to  pale  face.) 

Sannap:  ''Venerable  Prophet,  the  tomahawk  has 
been  buried,  and  the  brother  returns  with  the  sacred 
\Yampum  Belt." 

Prophet:  "My  son,  hearken  to  the  voice  of  the 
Prophet.  The  Great  Spirit  loves  the  Red  Man  and  He  is 
One.  Let  our  words  go  quickly  forth,  and  assemble  our 
chiefs  together,  to  witness  the  entering  of  this  brother 
into  the  covenant  of  faith,  which  shall  never  be  broken; 
that  we  also  may  be  one,  and  have  but  one  war  club,  one 
council  fire,  and  one  voice.'' 

(The  Sachem,  Senior  and  Junior  Sagamores  will  now 
advance  to  the  Prophet,  bringing  froin  their  stumps  the 
council  brands,  which  the  Prophet  will  receive,  and  unit- 
ing them  in  one  flame,  continues)  : 

Prophet :  "By  the  blending  of  these  fires,  fit  emblems 
of  purification,  vigor  and  life,  by  which  the  primitive 
red  men  symbolized  the  mysterious  union  into  which 
they  were  bound  in  the  strong  bonds  of  amity  and  love, 
let  us  also  symbolize  the  inseparable  ties  of  fraternity 
which  shall  henceforth  bind  us. 

"As  this  fire  is  consuming,  so  let  the  sordid  and 
grosser  passions  of  our  nature  be  destroyed,  as  it  is  warm 
and  invigorating,  so  let  the  fire  of  love  burn  within  us, 
to  nourish  and  stimulate  us;  and  as  its  rays  dispel  the 
darkness  and  gloom  from  our  midst,  so  may  the  divine 


law,  emanating  from  the  Great  Spirit,  illuminate  our 
souls,  and  shed  its  hallowed  rays  upon  our  path." 

(Lighting  the  calumet,  the  Prophet  continues)  : 

Prophet :  "As  the  smoke  from  this  calumet,  ascend- 
ing to  the  Great  Spirit,  blends  together,  so  may  our  af- 
fections blend  together  in  this  covenant  of  faith,  which 
shall  not  be  broken.  You  shall  keep  our  secrets,  and  we 
will  keep  yours;  you  shall  administer  to  our  wants,  and 
we  will  administer  to  yours.  These  are  our  words,  they 
have  gone  forth  from  our  mouths  and  shall  not  return. 

"And  now,  as  a  token  and  pledge  of  your  fidelity  to  us, 
that  you  will  fulfill  to  the  utmost  of  your  ability,  with- 
out equivocation  or  mental  reservation,  the  various  re- 
quirements of  this  degree,  its  doctrines  and  teachings, 
we  extend  to  you  the  calumet,  by  which  was  solemnized 
the  most  sacred  compacts  among  the  primitive  Eed 
Men." 

The  calumet  is  smoked,  the  signs  and  grips  explained, 
and  an  instruction  on  the  symbols  given. 

Surely,  the  above  is  sufficient  to  prove  that  a  Christian 
cannot  belong  to  the  Improved  Order  of  Red  Men. 


CHAPTER  XXXI. 

.. '.  ....-j 

KNIGflTS  OF  THE  MACCABEES. 

The  modern  Order  of  the  Maecabean  Knighthood  is 
built  upon  the  tradition  and  history  of  the  ancient  Mae- 
cabean dynasty,  the  achievements  of  which  are  recorded 
in  the  books  of  the  Maccabees  in  the  Old  Testament.  It 
has  all  the  characteristics  which  make  it  fall  under  the 
ban  of  the  Church.  It  is  a  secret  oath-bound  society,  has 
a  ritual  of  its  own,  as  will  be  seen  by  extracts,  etc. 
The  Order  was  founded  in  1878,  by  members  of  the 
Order  of  Foresters,  Freemasons,  etc.,  at  London,  On- 
tario, and  extends  today  nearly  all  over  the  northern 
states.  Among  the  different  objects  of  the  organization, 
paragraph  6  says:  "to  educate  the  members  socially, 
morally  and  intellectually/'  A  ritual  was  prepared, 
adopted,  and  prescribes:  "The  altar  is  to  stand 
in  the  center  of  the  hall  covered  with  drapery,  as  fol- 
lows :  The  top  black,  the  sides  red,  six  inches  deep,  and 
four  inches  of  white  added  to  the  red ;  or  four  inches  of 
white  fringe  may  be  used.  On  this  will  be  placed  the 
Bible  and  circle,  upon  which  the  obligation  is  taken." 

Among  the  different  officers  the  Chaplain  is  sixth  in 
order.  The  constitution  says :  "He  shall  perform  such 
duties  as  the  ritual  prescribes,  and  as  may  be  ordered 
from  time  to  time  by  the  Supreme  Tent." 

"The  hat  for  the  Chaplain  shall  be  plain  black,  in 
shape  of  a  tent,  with  the  addition  of  a  scarlet  mitre  in 


210 

front  of  the  hat,  and  maltose  cross  in  front  of  mitre." 
His  jewel  is  "Bible  open  with  inscription  C2d  book'  on 
top,  and  in  the  center  the  word  'Chap.' ': 

At  the  opening  of  a  tent,  as  the  meetings  are  called, 
the  Chaplain  is  called  upon  by  the  Sir  Knight  Lieuten- 
ant Commander :  "The  Prelate  will  now  perform  his  all- 
important  duty." 

Prayer  of  the  Prelate : 

"Almighty  and  eternal  God,  the  creator  of  all,  we  im- 
plore Thee  to  look  down  upon  us  at  this  time  and  give, 
us  Thy  divine  assistance  in  furthering  Thy  holy  will 
among  our  fellow  men.  Assist  us,  we  pray  Thee,  to  build 
up  our  Order  for  the  benefit  of  ourselves,  and  the  protec- 
tion of  the  widow  and  orphan,  wherever  dispersed  over 
this  Thy  footstool,  and  may  all  mankind  learn  to  walk 
in  the  paths  of  righteousness.  Amen." 

Response  by  all :    "Amen  !  Amen  !  Arnen  !" 

The  candidate  for  admission  is  partly  undressed,  a 
large  pack  is  placed  on  his  back,  a  hoodwink  over  his 
eyes,  a  girdle  around  the  waist,  a  staff  in  hand,  with 
novice  hat  on  for  the;  first  reception.  He  has  to  pass 
through  several  mock  examinations  as  to  his  physical 
ability,  etc. 

The  Sir  Knight  Commander  examines  the  candidate 
carefully,  testing  his  pulse,  sounding  his  chest,  feeling 
the  muscles  of  his  arms  and  legs  and  whirling  him 
around  quickly.  The  Past  Commander  examines  him 
in  the  same  manner,  after  which  he  is  commanded  to 
"pass  on."  As  the  candidate  passes  the  Record  Keeper's 
station,  that  officer  holds  him  and  examines  him  in  the 
same  manner,  but  with  more  care;  testing  his  pulse, 
measuring  his  chest  and  sounding  his  lungs.  The  exam- 


211 

ination  is  not  satisfactory,  and  the  Sir  Knight  Com- 
mander says :  "Guard $,  it  is  my  orders  that  you  at  once 
conduct  the  stranger  to  the  ante-room,  and  turn  him 
over  to  the  executioner,  who  will  inflict  the  severest  pen- 
alty prescribed  by  our  laws.  Away  with  him.  Let  jus- 
tice be  done." 

The  candidate  is  hurried  to  the  ante-room,  the  Sir 
Knights  crying  out  as  he  passes  down  the  hall :  "Away 
with  him,  execute  him — he  must  die,"  making  great 
noise  at  the  same  time. 

The  order  for  expulsion  is  revoked,  and  the  candidate 
is  conducted  to  the  Prelate,  who  addresses  him  thus : 

"Whereas,  our  forefathers,  the  Maccabees,  were  bound 
together  in  holy  bonds  of  brotherhood  to  protect  their 
members  and  families  from  persecution  and  want,  so 
we,  the  members  of  this  illustrious  Order,  will,  so  fax 
as  in  our  power  lies,  imitate  their  glorious  example  by 
supporting  and  defending  the  helpless  and  innocent 
throughout  the  whole  inhabitable  globe.  As  kinsmen, 
we  greet  you,  but  to  prove  your  sincerity  and  courage, 
you  must  pass  through  three  years  of  warfare,  when,  if 
you  prove  faithful  and  escape  the  dangers  of  war,  we 
will  receive  you  in tent,  No ,  there  to  par- 
take of  equal  share  and  part  in  the  spoils  of  all  our  vic- 
tories." 

The  candidate  is  led  several  times  around  the  room, 
during  which  time  an  ode  is  sung,  a  portion  of  which 
reads  thus : 

"See  the  Stranger,  how  he  comes 
Grasp  your  arms  both  true  and  strong, 
For  we  know  not  whether  he's  friend  or  foe; 
Give  him  battle,  test  his  mettle, 

Try  his  courage  both  well  and  long, 
Even  if  in  death  the  stranger  is  laid  low." 


212 

The  candidate  is  then  brought  before  the  Sir  Knight 
Commander  and  the  following  takes  place : 

Sir  Knight  Com.:  "Halt,  stranger,  from  whence 
come  you  ?" 

Candidate  (by  Master-at-Arms)  :  "From  a  far  coun- 
try, to  unite  with  our  kinsmen,  the  Knights  of  the  Mac- 
cabees." 

Sir  Knight  Com. :    "What  is  your  object  ?" 

Candidate :  "To  assist  in  the  protection  of  humanity, 
and  more  particularly  the  widows  and  orphans.'' 

Sir  Knight  Com. :  "Your  object  is  divine,  and  if  we 
find  you  worthy  we  will  give  you  a  glorious  reception. 
You  will  now  proceed  to  the  field  of  battle  and  report  at 
the  end  of  the  second  year.  If  you  are  a  man  of  iron 
nerve  and  indomitable  will,  you  will  return  unscathed 
and  unharmed;  but  if  you  show  a  craven,  cowardly 
spirit,  not  having  the  courage  to  assert  your  rights,  and 
a  daring  to  maintain  them,  the  officers  and  members  of 
this  tent  cannot,  nor  will  they  be  responsible  for  your 
fate.  You  have  passed  through  one  year  of  light  war- 
fare. The  second  year  will  be  more  sanguinary,  testing 
to  a  still  greater  degree  your  physical  and  moral  courage. 
You  will  therefore  arm  yourslf  as  becomes  a  valiant 
Knight,  and  march  again  to  the  battle  field.  There  you 
will  meet  with  an  overpowering  force,  who  will  dispute 
your  rights  to  pass  through  their  territory,  which  you 
will  find  strongly  fortified  at  every  point.  None  but  a 
brave,  lion-hearted  man  can  possibly  overcome  them. 
You  must  win  or  you  must  die.  There  will  be  no  chance 
for  retreat,  no  avenue  open  for  escape.  Should  you  fal- 
ter, you  will  fall  on  a  desolate  and  barren  field.  Your 
body  will  become  food  for  vultures,  whilst  your  bones 


213 

will  be  left  to  bleach  in  the  heat  of  a  torrid  sun.  Your 
name  ever  after  will  be  a  stench  in  the  nostrils  of  brave 
men  the  world  over,  and  your  posterity  will  have  to  bear 
the  disgrace  of  your  cowardice  for  all  times  to  come. 
You  stake  your  honor,  your  happiness,  nay,  your  life  in 
the  struggle.  Be  courageous,  firm  and  unyielding,  ever 
ready  to  protect  humanity,  especially  the  widows  and  or- 
phans, and  all  will  be  well.  Forward,  march." 

(The  guards  then  conduct  the  candidate  rapidly  three 
times  around  the  hall;  obstructions  should  be  placed  in 
his  path.  This  can  be  done  with  bags  filled  with  shav- 
ings or  other  light  substance.  The  guards  are  to  keep 
the  candidate  from  falling  when  he  stumbles.  Com- 
mands should  be  given  as  "Charge  down  on  the  right," 
"Charge  on  the  left,"  "Form  in  line  on  the  left  flank," 
"About  face,  charge,"  and  keep  on  tramping  with  the 
feet  and  clashing  with  spears,  to  represent  as  much  as 
possible  a  battle  going  on.  The  last  time  around,  the 
candidate  is  brought  to  the  Sir  Knight  Commander's 
station,  and  at  the  command  "Halt"  every  Sir  Knight 
should  be  seated  and  remain  perfectly  quiet.) 

Sir  Knight  Com. :  "Halt,  my  soldier,  we  greet  you. 
Have  you  been  successful  in  your  wars  the  past  year?" 

Candidate  (by  Master  of  Arms)  :  "We  have,  and  now 
return  after  many  long  marches  and  hard  fought  battles 
in  protecting  humanity,  and  especially  the  widows  and 
orphans." 

Sir  Knight  Com. :  "Your  deeds  are  glorious.  You 
have  been  successful  in  your  second  year's  struggle.  You 
bear  the  scars  of  honorable  warfare.  So  far  you  have 
proven  yourself  to  be  a  man  of  iron  nerve,  with  a  daring 
and  a  courage  truly  commendable.  You  bid  fair  to  win 


214 

the  glorious  battle  of  life  through  which  you  are  now 
passing,  and  leave  your  posterity  a  protection  for  which 
they  will  ever  hless  you.  It  becomes  my  painful  duty, 
however,  to  inform  you  that  the  great  struggle  in  which 
you  have  been  engaged  has  but  just  commenced.  The 
opposing  forces  are  rallying  their  entire  strength.  They 
have  gathered  together  the  strongest  and  bravest  men  in 
the  domain.  They  have  added  to  their  munition  of  war. 
They  are  armed  and  equipped  with  the  most  deadly 
weapons  known  to  modern  warfare.  The  greatest  danger 
is  yet  to  be  encountered.  Your  courage  and  valor  is  yet 
to  be  put  to  the  severest  test.  E  would  to  heaven  that  you 
could  escape  this  fearful  encounter.  But  the  decree  of 
the  Sir  Knight  Commander  has  gone  forth.  His  fiat  is 
the  law  of  the  land.  His  commands  must  be  obeyed 
throughout  the  realm,  by  every  inhabitant  thereof,  even 
at  the  cost  of  life  itself.  Steel  your  heart,  gird  on  your 
armor,  be  sure  of  foot  and  strong  of  nerve,  for  another 
long  year  you  must  battle  day  and  night.  Though  foot- 
sore, weary  and  hungry,  your  strong  arm  must  not 
weaken.  Grasp  firmly  your  weapon  of  defense;  every 
obstacle  must  be  removed  by  your  own  hands;  there  will 
be  none  to  aid  you.  Let  not  the  din  or  noise  of  battle, 
or  the  hardship  you  will  have  to  encounter,  shake  your 
courage..  Face  death.  Drive  your  foes  before  you  like 
chaff  before  the  wind,  and  at  the  end  of  this  year's 
struggle  should  you  return  covered  with  battle  scars,  and 
grim  with  the  smoke  of  battle,  you  will  be  received  by 
the  valiant  knights  of  this  tent,  and  the  honors  you  will 
then  have  so  dearly  earned  will  be  meted  out  to  you.  The 
strong  arms  of  brave  men  will  forever  after  protect  you 


215 

and  those  dependent  upon  you  for  all  that  makes  life  a 
blessing.  Hark !" 

(At  this  stage  of  the  proceedings  one  Sir  Knight  with 
a  small  snare  drum,  one  with  a  brass  drum  or  large  piece 
of  sheet  iron  with  a  drum  stick,  stands  in  the  rear  of  the 
hall ;  another  with  a  drum  stands  in  the  rear  of  the  can- 
didate. Small  arms  or  anything  to  imitate  them  should 
be  distributed  among  the  members,  and  twelve  Sir 
Knights,  six  in  line,  on  each  side  of  the  hall,  with  spears, 
to  be  in  position.  All  perfectly  quiet.  When  the  Sir 
Knight  Commander  says:  Hark,  the  drums  will  beat, 
the  trumpet  blow  quick  and  sharp,  the  arms  to  be  fired, 
the  spears  clashed  together,  and  the  Sir  Knights  passing 
to  and  fro  and  tramping  heavily  with  their  feet.  This 
is  continued  for  a  moment.  When  the  Sir  Knight  Com- 
mander raises  his  hand  as  a  signal,  quiet  will  be  imme- 
diately restored  and  he  will  proceed)  : 

Sir  Knight  Com. :  "Do  you  hear  the  rumbling  of  ar- 
tillery, the  clash  of  arms  and  the  tread  of  brave  .men 
ready  to  give  battle  ?  They  wait  your  coming.  Again  I 
command  you,  forward,  march." 

(The  candidate  will  then  be  rapidly  conducted  around 
the  hall  three  times.  Obstructions  are  again  to  be  placed 
in  his  path,  the  drums  beat,  arms  discharged,  spears 
clash,  military  commands  to  be  given,  and  heavy  tramp- 
ing of  all  the  members.  The  last  time  around  the  bags 
are  to  be  piled  up,  one  upon  another,  at  the  farther  end 
of  the  hall,  so  as  to  make  a  fortification  as  high  as  the 
hips  of  the  candidate.  The  guards  move  the  candidate 
quickly  against  the  obstructions,  holding  him  from  fall- 
ing, but  taking  him  from  his  feet.  He  is  then  brought 
to  the  Sir  Knight  Commander's  station.) 


216 

Sir  Knight  Com. :  "Halt,  my  war-worn  kinsman,  we 
greet  thee.  Have  yon  protected  the  homes  of  the  widows 
and  orphans  the  past  year  ?" 

Candidate  (by  Master  of  Arms)  :  "We  have,  and  now 
return  every  one." 

Sir  Knight  Com. :  "Sir  Knight  Guards,  our  kinsman 
having  served  three  years  of  warfare,  and  having  per- 
formed many  chivalrous  acts  in  protecting  humanity, 
and  especially  the  widows  and  orphans,  prepare  him  for 
the  grand  reception  he  so  justly  merits."  (Remove  pack 
and  staff,  leaving  hoodwink  on.)  The  guards  then  con- 
duct the  candidate  to  the  altar,  facing  the  Sir  Knight 
Commander.  The  twelve  Sir  Knights,  holding  spears, 
are  masked  with  false  faces,  comic  or  otherwise,  with 
long  black  cambric  cape  over  shoulder  or  gown  and  hood 
or  turban  on  the  head.  They  fall  into  line  on  one  side  of 
the  hall.  Another  Sir  Knight  armed  with  the  worst- 
looking  mask,  scarlet  cape  or  blouse,  red  hood  or  turban, 
armed  with  a  large  battle  axe  (wood,  imitation  of  iron), 
takes  his  place  on  the  left  of  the  masked  Sir  Knight. 
All  the  members  pull  down  their  vizors  over  their  faces. 
The  Sir  Knight  Lieutenant  Commander  commands: 
"Attention,"  the  twelve  Sir  Knights  fall  into  line  and 
bring  their  spears  to  a  carry  by  their  right  side. 

Sir  Knight  Lieut. :    "Right  face,  forward,  march." 

They  march  once  and  a  half  around  the  hall  and  then 
twice  around  the  altar,  forming  a  circle  around  the  can- 
didate. When  the  Sir  Knight  with  battle  axe  is  oppo- 
site the  left  side  of  the  candidate,  the  Sir  Knight  Lieut. 
Commander  commands,  "Halt,  inward  face,  charge 
speara." 

(At  the  last  command  the  Sir  Knights  raise  their 


217 

spears,  with  both  hands  above  their  right  shoulders,  as  if 
making  a  thrust,  bringing  the  points  of  the  spears  to  the 
breast  and  back  of  and  nearly  touching  the  candidate. 
The  Knight  with  battle  axe  raises  it  over  the  left  arm 
of  the  candidate.  The  lights  are  now  nearly  turned  off. 
A  little  to  the  rear  and  left  of  the  altar,  a  Sir  Knight 
ignites  a  red  fire — alcohol  and  salt  can  be  used  instead, 
if  red  fire  cannot  be  obtained.  As  the  red  fire  blazes  up 
the  Sir  Knight  Commander  says)  : 

Sir  Knight  Com. :  "The  battle  is  over,  the  victory  is 
won,  let  the  clouds  disperse;  bring  the  brave  and  intrepid 
stranger  from  darkness  to  light." 

The  hoodwink  is  immediately  removed  by  the  guards. 
As  soon  as  the  red  fire  burns  out  the  lights  are  turned  up, 
and  the  Sir  Knight  Lieut.  Com.  says:  "Attention,  Sir 
Knights,  carry  spears,  ground  spears." 

The  twelve  Sir  Knights  remain  in  this  position  until 
after  the  obligation  is  given.  The  Sir  Knight  with  the 
battle  axe  keeps  it  raised  over  the  left  arm  of  the  can- 
didate until  the  penalty  is  reached. 

The  Past  Sir  Knight  Commander  now  advances  with- 
in the  circle  and  administers  the  following  obligation: 

Past  Sir  Knight  Com.:  "My  kinsman  from  a  far 
country,  are  you  still  desirous  of  joining  with  your  fel- 

]ows  of tent,  No of  the  Knights  of  the 

Maccabees?  (Candidate  will  answer,  'I  am.')  Then 
you  will  place  your  hand  on  the  volume  of  the  Sacred 
Word,  on  which  is  laid  the  Circle,  and  be  bound  in  the 
compact.  Repeat  your  name  in  full,  and  say  after  me: 

I, .  do  solemnly  and  voluntarily  promise  in  the 

presence  of  Almighty  God  and  this  duly  convoked  tent 
of  the  Knights  of  the  Maccabees,  that  I  will  be  faithful 


218 

and  true  to  the  tent  denominated tent,  No , 

of  which  I  am  now  to  become  a  member;  that  I  will 
maintain  and  uphold  the  constitution  and  by-laws  of 
the  Order,  or  of  any  tent  to  which  at  any  time  I  may  be- 
long; that  I  will  be  true  to  all  Sir  Knights  of  the  Order, 
and  will  forever  keep  and  conceal  all  the  secrets,  signs, 
passwords,  grips  and  other  private  work  of  the  Order, 
and  that  I  will  not,  under  any  circumstances,  make  them 
known  to  anyone  in  the  world,  or  suffer  others  to  do  so, 
if  in  my  power  to  prevent  it,  unless  it  be  a  Sir  Knight 
of  the  Order  who  I  know  is  entitled  to  the  same,  or  in  a 
body  of  a  tent  while  at  work;  that  I  will  not  defraud  a 
member  or  tent  of  anything,  or  allow  it  to  be  done  by 
others,  if  in  my  power  to  prevent  it;  that  I  will  not  be- 
come a  member  of  any  society  of  men  who  claim  to  be  a 
branch  of  this  Order  unless  they  are  chartered  by  the 
executive  of  this  Order,  and  that  I  will  respect  and  pro- 
tect the  relatives  of  all  Sir  Knights,  especially  the  wid- 
ows and  orphans.  To  all  this  I  most  sincerely  promise 
and  swear  with  a  fixed,  solemn  and  determined  resolution 
to  keep  and  perform  the  same,  binding  myself  under 
no  less  a  penalty,  for  the  willful  violation  of  any  of  these 
provisions,  than  that  of  having  my  left  arm  cut  off  above 
the  elbow  (the  Sir  Knight  on  the  left  draws  battle  axe 
across  the  candidate's  left  arm)  so  that  I  would  forever 
be  unable  to  prove  myself  a  Knight  of  the  Maccabees.  So 
help  me  the  Most  High,  and  keep  me  steadfast  in  the 
same  until  death." 

The  Sir  Knight  Lieut.  Commander  then  steps  up  and 
takes  the  candidate  by  the  hand,  saying:  "My  beloved 
kinsman,  indeed,  you  have  been  obligated  on  the  Bible 
and  the  Circle.  The  Bible,  that  divine  light,  sent  to  poor 


219 

humanity  from  above,  we  shall  all  take  as  our  rule  and 
guide  while  on  this  sublunary  abode.  These  sacred 
writings  are  a  symbolical  chain  by  which  we  all  are 
united  in  the  bonds  of  brotherly  love  and  universal  phil- 
anthropy. Without  them  no  tent  is  perfect.  The  Circle 
has  ever  been  considered  symbolical  of  the  Deity,  for  as 
a  circle  appears  to  have  neither  beginning  nor  end,  it 
must  justly  be  considered  a  type  of  God,  without  either 
beginning  of  days  or  ending  of  3rears.  It  also  reminds 
us  of  a  future  state,  where  we  hope  to  enjoy  everlasting 
happiness." 

Sir  Knight  Lieut.  Com. :  "Attention,  Sir  Knights, 
carry  spears,  forward,  march."  The  Sir  Knights  march 
once  around  the  altar  to  their  places  on  one  side  of  the 
hall,  removing  their  masks  and  spears  and  taking  seats. 
The  candidate  is  then  conducted  to  the  Sir  Knight  Com- 
mander, who  proceeds  to  instruct  him  in  all  the  signs 
and  other  secrets  of  the  Order  and  gives  him  the  follow- 
ing admonition : 

"My  kinsman,  you  have  been  advanced  through  a 
severe  struggle  to  this  beautiful  degree  of  the  Order. 
You  have  been  tried  and  not  found  wanting.  The  cere- 
monies through  which  you  have  passed  teach  you  a  les- 
son that  should  be  remembered  as  long  as  you  live.  The 
great  object  of  this  Order  is  to  provide  for  the  widows 
and  orphans  of  those  who  are  morally  and  physically 
qualified  to  become  members.  Upon  your  admission  your 
qualifications  were  thoroughly  tested.  The  utmost  cau- 
tion was  exercised  b}r  the  members  before  you  were  al- 
lowed to  proceed.  You  then  passed  through  three  years 
of  warfare,  representing  childhood,  manhood  and  old 
age.  Your  first  }rear's  struggle  was  light,  you  found  no 


220 

obstructions  placed  in  your  pathway,  illustrating  child- 
hood days,  when  all  is  happiness,  and  life  is  full  of  hope 
and  song.  In  your  second  year's  struggle,  you  met  with 
frequent  obstructions,  representing  manhood.  Being  full 
of  energy  and  courage,  you  overcame  them  and  won  a 
victory  over  all  opposition.  The  third  year's  struggle 
represented  old  age.  You  found  all  the  obstacles  in  your 
path  more  difficult  to  surmount,  and  had  it  not  been  for 
the  trustworthy  guides  who  supported  and  assisted  you 
in  the  battle  of  life,  you  would  have  fallen  and  been  left 
by  the  wayside,  to  perish  unprotected  and  alone.  This 
beautifully  illustrates  the  benefits  to  be  derived  from  a 
membership  in  this  Order.  When  death  overtakes  you, 
you  will  have  the  consolation  of  knowing  that  you  have 
brothers  who  will  provide  for  those  dependent  upon  you, 
and  this  urges  upon  you  the  necessity  of  providing  for 
those  that  you  may  at  any  moment  leave  behind  in  a  cold, 
cold  world,  and  we  trust  you  will  place  your  entire  trust 
in  the  Great  Architect  of  the  Universe,  who  alone  is  able 
to  pull  down  or  build  up  your  destiny  here  and  hereafter. 
The  tower  of  Babel,  a  work  of  the  greatest  magnitude, 
undertaken  and  carried  on  with  the  greatest  skill  of  the 
time,  but  without  the  sanction  of  the  Almighty,  fell  to 
the  ground,  and  the  workmen  were  confounded  and  scat- 
tered to  the  corners  of  the  earth,  while  others  of  like 
magnitude,  under  his  guidance  have  been  raised  within 
the  shortest  space  of  time,  and  become  the  wonders  of 
the  whole  earth.  The  Maccabees  in  ancient  days,  under 
His  all-powerful  guidance,  accomplished  the  most  diffi- 
cult tasks  with  the  greatest  ease,  and  in  war  were  enabled 
to  conquer  enemies  ten  times  their  own  number.  The 
same  God  rules  today,  and  if  we  place  like  trust  in  His 


221 

divine  word,  we  shall  receive  the  same  assistance  and 
support.  As  you  have  been  deemed  worthy  to  share  the 
privileges  of  this  chivalrous  Order,  you  must  be  sensible 
that  your  responsibilities  are  increased  in  proportion  to 
your  advantages.  Let  it  ever  be  your  desire  and  constant 
aim  to  prove  yourself  worthy  of  the  confidence  that  the 
Sir  Knights  of  this  tent  have  entrusted  you  with.  Let 
uprightness  and  integrity  be  your  guide.  Let  justice  and 
mercy  attend  your  steps.  Let  fervency  and  zeal  stimu- 
late you  in  the  discharge  of  the  various  duties  incumbent 
upon  you.  Be  ever  zealous  for  the  prosperity  and  wel- 
fare of  the  Knights  of  the  Maccabees.  Be  faithful  to  the 
members  of  your  tent  and  the.  Order.  Let  your  conduct 
be  such  as  will  entitle  you  to  the  esteem  of  them  all.  If 
misfortune  assail  you  while  you  remain  true  to  the  obli- 
gations which  you  have  of  your  own  accord  assumed, 
have  confidence  that  among  the  Knights  of  the  Macca- 
bees you  will  find  friends  who  will  comfort  you  in  your 
sorrow,  ever  remembering  as  a  consolation  under  the 
frowns  of  fortune,  and  as  a  hope  for  better  prospects, 
that  the  stone  which  the  builders  rejected  became  the 
chief  stone  of  the  corner/' 

The  candidate  is  conducted  to  the  Sir  Knight  Com- 
mander's station  and  made  to  kneel  on  left  knee  in  front 
of  that  officer,  who  dubs  him  a  Knight  of  the  Order  of 
the  Maccabees  in  these  words:' 

"My  kinsman,  I  now  dub  and  create  you  a  Knight  of 
the  Maccabees,  and  a  member  of  this  chivalric  Order, 

and  of tent,  No We  hail  you  as  a  Sir 

Knight,  and  accept  you  as  a  kinsman." 

Wbn  wJH  (flaro  fr>  aav  £hgt  fViie  is  Tint  a  Tplrffioiwi 

mony? 


CHAPTER  XXXII. 

ORDER  OF  HEPTASOPHS  OR  SEVEN  WISE  MEN. 

This  Order,  an  offspring  of  Greek  Letter  College  so- 
cieties, was  founded  in  1852  by  a  prominent  Freemason 
in  New  Orleans,  La.  Its  ceremonial  is  based  on  the 
Magi  of  old  and  the  doctrine  of  Zoroaster.  Ormisda 
and  Ahriman  are  introduced  at  the  initiation  to  instruct 
the  candidate ;  the  name  of  God  is  "Supreme  Archon  of 
the  Universe."  The  Seven  Wise  Men  or  Magi  of  ancient 
Persia  are  the  sponsors  for  the  name.  The  historian  of 
the  Order  tells  us  that  "the  Order  gives  no  adherence  to 
any  religious  creed,  but  requires  from  its  candidates  the 
profession  of  a  belief  in  a  Supreme  Being.  It  bears  aloft 
the  motto,  "In  God  We  Trust,"  admitting  to  its  mys- 
teries both  the  Jew  and  Christian  on  the  common  ground 
of  mutual  dependence  and  universal  brotherhood  under 
the  Fatherhood  of  God.  To  this  end  it  inculcates  the 
principles  of  "Wisdom,  Truth,  and  Benevolence."  Ma- 
sonic traditions  and  principles  are  also  manifested  in  the 
ceremonial  and  symbolism :  a  seven-pointed  star  enclos- 
ing a  seven-branched  candlestick,  the  All-Seeing  Eye, 
the  ark  and  altar,  its  group  of  seven,  etc. 

I  quote  from  the  ritual : 

"The  property  and  paraphernalia  of  this  Order  are : 

"First  Degree — A  platform  consisting  of  seven  de- 
scending steps,  a  long  narrow  box,  hoodwink,  sponges, 
chains,  etc. 


,         223 

"Second  Degree — The  same  platform  as  in  first  de- 
gree, reversed  when  in  use,  a  table  or  stand  with  mova- 
ble legs,  rods,  chains,  hoodwinks,  etc. 

"Third  Degree — A  movable  stool  or  platform  on  cas- 
tors, scroll  or  book,  hoodwinks,  pen,  ink,  etc." 

The  meetings  are  called  conclaves ;  Archon,  whose  title 
is  "Most  Eminent,"  Herald,  Provost,  Chancellor,  Wax- 
den,  are  the  names  of  the  officials  .  The  candidate  for  in- 
itiation is  blindfolded  and  conducted  into  the  conclave, 
where  standing  in  front  of  the  Provost,  who  is  addressed 
as  Venerable  Astrologer,  by  whom  he  is  instructed :  "In 
my  capacity  as  Astrologer  *  *  *  I  have  studied  the 
wisdom  of  the  stars  and  the  silent  moving  of  the  spheres ; 
that  *  *  *  consulting  the  horoscope  T  found  no  un- 
favorable omen,  otherwise  I  would  have  forbidden  your 
entrance  here.  But  if  you  have  entered  these  portals 
with  the  hope  that  our  mysteries  would  be  imparted  to 
you,  loosely  and  thoughtlessly,  or  without  any  farther  or- 
deal than  the  slight  one  you  were  made  to  pass  through 
on  your  first  admission  into  our  Order,  be  assured  now, 
as  you  will  presently  be  convinced,  that  your  hope  is  a 
vain  one. 

"An  old  adage  says  that  'Truth  is  to  be  found  at  the 
bottom  of  a  well.'  We  are  apt  to  value  too  lightly  the 
experience,  knowledge,  or,  in  fact,  any  other  acquisition, 
that  is  gained  too  easily. 

"You  will  be  caused  to  pass  down  a  narrow,  rough  and 
toilsome  descent.  As  the  passage  narrows,  you  will  have 
to  bow  your  head,  to  avoid  dangerous  overhanging  cliffs, 
and  jutting  rocks.  One  defiant  step,  one  disobedient 
whim,  may  dash  your  brains  to  atoms  as  you  pass  down 
the  treacherous  abyss.  Be  cautious,  be  calm,  be  resolute, 


224 

but  obey  your  conductors  in  all  things,  as  }rou  value  your 
life. 

"This  ordeal  is  necessary,  not  only  to  satisfy  us  of  the 
existence  of  those  qualities  of  faith  and  fortitude,  with- 
out which  it  is  impossible  for  one  to  be  a  worthy  mem- 
ber of  this  Order,  but  to  detect  any  hidden  or  unfavorable 
omen,  which  my  divination  may  have  failed  to  discover 
previous  to  your  admission  here." 

(The  candidate  is  blindfolded  and  made  to  pass  down 
a  rough  descent.  He  is  to  imagine  that  he  is  in  a  dark 
cavern,  which  narrows  and  becomes  narrower  as  it  de- 
scends ;  he  has  to  get  on  his  knees  to  pass  through ;  and 
finally  on  his  hands  and  feet  he  has  to  pass  through  a 
short  and  narrow  passage.  This  may  be  made  by  two 
chairs  thrown  down  and  set  back  to  back  (a  barrel  or 
box  may  be  used )  :  wet  sponges  and  chains  may  be  placed 
in  the  passage  way.  Having  emerged,  the  candidate  is 
placed  upon  his  feet  and  brought  quietly  to  the  station 
of  the  Provost,  and  stands  with  his  back  to  that  station.) 

Inspector  General :  "Venerable  Astrologer,  the  candi- 
date has  thus  far  passed  the  ordeal  in  safety." 

Provost:  "Having  emerged  from  the  cave  of  mys- 
teries, you  are  now  on  the  bank  of  a  dark,  deep  and  silent 
stream,  which  it  is  necessary  to  leap  over.  One  false 
step  may  cost  you  your  life.  Have  faith,  have  courage. 
Place  your  hope  beyond  the  stream;  do  not  fall  within 
its  destructive  vortex.  Eemember,  if  you  fail  it  is  the 
River  Lethe,  the  River  of  Death.  Leap,  now,  leap  with 
all  your  might." 

The  candidate  leaps  as  far' as  he  can  on  the  floor,  and 
is  caught  as  he  alights  by  the  conductors,  who  prevent 
him  from  falling. 


225 

Ins.  Gen. :  "Venerable  Astrologer,  the  candidate  has 
passed  in  safety." 

Provost :  "Then  I  pronounce  him  worthy.  Let  him 
be  conducted  to  our  Most  Eminent  Archon." 

(He  is  conducted  twice  around  the  conclave  room  and 
then  halted  before  the  Archon's  station.) 

Archon:  "Let  the  bandage  be  removed  from  the  eyes 
of  the  candidate,  and  let  him  be  clothed  with  a  blue 
apron  and  seated  before  me,  to  receive  the  instructions 
of  the  first  degree. 

"The  legend  of  this  degree  gives  an  example  of  integ- 
rity unpersuaded  and  unawed,  and  an  instance  of  its 
proper  recognition  and  due  appreciation. 

"It  appears  that  Kai  el  Ko-az,  king  of  Persia,  being 
taken  captive  in  Mazanderan,  while  invading  that  coun- 
try, was  beset  by  entreaties  from  some,  as  well  as  threats 
from  others,  to  impart  the  secrets  of  the  Seven.  The 
High  Priest  of  Zahma,  who  besought  these  instructions, 
was  so  struck  with  the  answer  of  Kai  el  Ko-az  refusing 
to  impart  them,  that  he  recommended  the  king  of  Ma- 
zanderan to  spare  the  life  of  so  wise  and  noble  a  pris- 
oner, though  he  came  as  an  invading  enemy,  which  was 
accordingly  done." 

(I  pass  over  the  other  part  of  the  instructions  for  want 
of  space.) 

In  the  second  degree  the  candidate  when  brought  be- 
fore the  Provost  is  addressed  thus : 

Provost:  "Candidate,  do  you  solemnly  promise  to 
preserve  and  keep  the  instructions  of  the  second  degree, 
and  never  impart  them  unlawfully  ?" 

Candidate :     "I  do." 

Provost :    "Before  receiving  the  mysteries  of  the  sec- 


226 

ond  degree,  it  will  be  necessary  for  you  to  pass  through 
another  ordeal.  In  the  first  degree,  your  courage  and 
constancy,  against  impediments,  and  in  the  hour  of  ad- 
verse vicissitude,  were  tested.  Now  you  will  be  made  to 
show  how  you  will  deport  yourself  amid  the  giddy 
heights  of  ambition.  Your  ascent  will  be  quick  and 
rapid;  you  may  imagine  yourself  upon  the  lofty  peaks 
of  the  Himalaya  Mountains.  It  is  well  that  you  are 
blindfolded  so  that  the  narrow  defiles  and  hair-breadth 
contiguity  to  steep  precipices,  may  not  be  apparent  to 
your  eyes,  and  cause  you  to  slnidder,  tremble  and  fall. 
My  parting  advice  to  you  is  to  'look  aloft';  let  your 
thought  ever  be  upward;  for  if  you  realize  your  danger, 
and  waver  for  a  moment,  a  terrific  descent  awaits  you." 

( The  construction  of  apparatus  for  the  sec- 
ond degree's  initiation  may  be  left  to  the  fancy  of  the 
members;  a  series  of  rough,  but  not  dangerous,  ascents 
and  quiet  descents  may  be  made,  terminating  by  a  sort  of 
bridge,  or  any  other  contrivance  which  breaks  down 
noisily  but  safely.  When  the  candidate  shall  have  at- 
tained the  top  of  the  ascent,  he  is  allowed  to  halt,  and  is 
thus  addressed:) 

Ins.  Gen. :  "Be  not  over-elated  at  your  success  in  thus 
attaining  to  a  position  of  lofty  grandeur,  for  ambition 
blinds  us  in  danger,  vanity  conceals  from  us  our  own 
weakness,  and  pride  ever  precedes  a  fall."  The  candi- 
date moves  on,  the  trap  is  sprung,  and  he  is  made  to  come 
down  suddenly. 

Ins.  Gen.  (In  a  loud  voice)  :  "The  candidate  has 
passed  the  ordeal  in  safety." 

Provost:  "Then  let  him  be  conducted  to  our  Most 
Eminent  Archon," 


227 

(Candidate  is  taken  twice  around  the  room,  and  halted 
near  the  Archon's  station.) 

Archon :  "Let  the  bandages  be  removed  from  the  eyes 
of  the  candidate,  and  let  him  be  clothed  with  a  green 
apron  and  seated  before  me  to  receive  the  instructions 
of  the  Second  Degree. 

"The  legend  of  the  Second  Degree  presents  to  us  a 
beautiful  story  of  gratitude.  It  appears  that  a  short  time 
after  the  occurence  related  in  the  First  Degree,  Eos- 
tram,  a  victorious  Persian  warrior,  having  invaded 
Mazandcran  and  taken  captive  the  King  of  that  country, 
brought  him,  in  turn,  before  Kai  el  Ko-az.  The  latter 
out  of  gratitude,  ordered  his  immediate  release." 

(Here  follows  a  similar  instruction  by  the  Chancellor 
as  in  the  First  Degree.) 

The  Third  Degree  is  conferred  in  similar  manner  as 
the  other  two,  till  at  a  certain  point  in  the  initiation  the 
Provost  says  to  Candidate :) 

Provost :  "I  will  now  put  you  in  charge  of  Ormisda, 
who  will  be  your  guide.  You  have  nothing  to  fear  as 
long  as  j^ou  listen  to  him  and  follow  his  directions." 

(  *  *  *  Ormisda  now  takes  the  candidate  in 
charge,  and  conducts  him  around  the  room  a  number  of 
times,  delivering  the  following  address  to  the  candidate 
as  he  passes  slowly  along:) 

Ormisda :  "The  path  of  life  is  thought  dull  by  many 
when  pursued  with  a  grave  sense  of  the  object  of  the 
journey.  But  there  are  lessons  of  wisdom  to  be  gathered, 
and  we  may  sow  our  pathway  with  good  deeds  as  we  pass 
along.  It  is  the  object  of  our  Order  to  awaken  the  mind 
to  the  leading  principles  and  duties  of  life.  It  is  strange 


228 

that  its  greatest  purposes  are  most  frequently  lost  sight 
of,  while  they  should  be  its  greatest  pleasure. 

"I  am  not  a  favorite  with  those  who  journey  this  way, 
and  can  only  stay  with  such  as  find  me  welcome.  I  per- 
ceive that  my  discourse  does  not  interest  you,  and  that, 
like  most  of  the  travelers,  you  find  me  a  dull  companion. 
Henceforth  Ahriman  will  conduct  you.  His  guidance 
you  will  find  more  congenial." 

He  is  taken  in  charge  by  Ahriman,  who  strikes  the 
candidate  on  the  shoulder  and  conducts  him  on  around 
the  room,  addressing  him  as  follows:) 

Ahriman :  "Rejoice,  my  friend,  that  you  are  now  rid 
of  the  guide  Ormisda.  He  is  an  old  sober-sides,  always 
preaching.  It  is  strange  that  some  people  are  neither 
content  to  enjoy  themselves,  nor  let  others  do  so.  For 
what  is  the  world,  if  it  be  not  for  our  enjoyment  ?  What 
is  the  use  of  always  preaching  morality,  and  that  sort 
of  thing?  Trust  to  the  impulses  of  your  own  heart,  and 
all  will  be  right.  What  he  has  been  saying  is  all  fol-de- 
rol:  a  little  philosophy  will  soon  teach  you  to  set  it  at 
naught.  Come,  my  friend,  let  us  grapple  with  the  world 
as  we  find  it." 

(The  candidate  is  halted  before  the  Archon.  He 
either  stands  upon  the  floor  or  a  moveable  platform.  The 
latter  is  better.) 

Archon :  "In  your  progress,  thus  far,  you  have  doubt- 
less thought  this  to  be  a  purely  charitable  Order.  Well, 
it  is  charitable ;  that  is,  charity  amongst  ourselves.  But 
at  this  period  of  your  advancement,  it  is  time  to  present 
some  other  ideas  to  3rou,  which  have  hitherto  been' with- 
held. They  were  withheld  because  we  first  wished  to 
know  more  about  von.  We  wished  to  know  whether  you 


229 

would  do  to  tie  to.  Charity,  ray  friend,  is  a  good  thing; 
but  charity  won't  always  do :  charity  won't  buy  the  baby 
a  frock,  or  put  bread  and  butter  upon  the  table.  It  is 
true  that  we  make  use  of  charity  and  other  such  things, 
as  a  cloak  for  our  designs.  Nothing  can  be  done  now-a- 
days,  except  under  some  cloak  of  that  sort.  Our  object 
is,  first,  the  teaching  of  philosophy — plain,  practical 
philosophy,  that  teaches  you  as  a  first  principal,  to  take 
care  of  number  one.  Secondly,  to  help  your  fellow- 
members  in  all  their  schemes  and  purposes,  right  or 
wrong,  against  the  rest  of  the  world.  We  are  associated 
as  an  Order  for  our  own  individual  purposes.  We  are 
bound  to  assist  each  other  in  distress ;  that  is  a  small  mat- 
ter; and  we  must,  each  one  of  us,  be  at  all  times  ready 
to  do  for  a  brother  whatsoever  he  may  demand.  We 
must  know  nothing  beyond  the  interests  and  necessities 
of  the  Order.  Thus  far,  our  hearts  must  ever  be  open 
fountains,  whence  continually  should  flow  aid  and  com- 
fort for  our  brethren.  Show  your  appreciation  of  the 
grand  object  of  the  Order,  and  gladden  us  by  your  un- 
questioning acquiescence  in  our  requests.  Be  seated,  and 
let  your  resolution  of  maintaining  the  good  of  this  Order 
be  firm  as  the  rock  which  now  unyielding  lends  you  its 
support.  Here,  set  your  name  to  this  scroll,  in  testimony 
of  your  sincerity  and  good  fellowship." 

(The  candidate  is  placed  upon  a  rock,  in  the  centre 
of  the  room,  pen  and  ink  handed  him,  the  bandage 
is  removed  and  he  is  directed  to  sign  his  name  to  the 
sheet,  whereon  has  been  written  (or  is  afterwards  writ- 
ten above  his  signature),  unknown  to  him,  a  draft  for 
$100,  or  some  onerous  obligation,  which  is  placed  in  a 


230 

book,  the  obligation  being  hidden  or  folded  under.  If  he 
refuses  to  sign,  the  members  all  shout  aloud :) 

Members:  "He  refuses — he  is  unworthy  of  fellow- 
ship in  our  Order.  Away  with  him.'* 

(If  he  consents,  they  express  their  gratification.  The 
bandages  are  then  replaced  and  the  Archon  says:) 

Archon :  "You  have  been  fully  enlightened  as  to  the 
aim  of  our  brotherhood,  and  it  is  now  necessary  for  you 
to  kneel  and  take  an  obligation  to  assist  your  fellow-mem- 
bers in  all  their  purposes,  public  or  private,  without  in- 
quiring whether  they  be  right  or  wrong — provided  they 
are  not  against  your  own  interest."  (Kneels.) 

(This  is  a  plain  proposition  to  do  a  wrong  thing.  The 
candidate  may  consent  or  not.  It  is,  of  course,  no  inten- 
tion of  the  Order  to  permit  any  member  to  take  a  wrong- 
ful obligation.  The  degree  is  a  lesson  against  tempta- 
tion. Those  candidates  who  consent,  of  course,  will  kneel, 
the  others  will  remain  standing.) 

Archon :     "Brothers,  you  know  your  duty." 

(The  candidate  or  candidates  will  now  be  rushed  upon 
by  the  members,  whether  they  consent  or  not;  those  who 
consent  will  be  rushed  on  for  the  purpose  of  giving  them 
a  lesson  for  such  thoughtless  and  wrongful  yielding  to 
temptation:  .those  who  refuse,  will  be  rushed  upon  at 
the  same  time,  as  if  it  were  the  intention  of  the  members 
to  punish  them  for  their  obstinacy.  (If  the  candidates 
are  on  a  moveable  platform  it  will  be  made  to  shake 
like  an  earthquake  for  a  while,  before  they  are  rushed 
upon.)  They  will  be  hastened  around  the  room  amid 
demoniac  noises,  clashing  of  swords,  thunder,  lightning 
and  rain.  At  length  they  will  be  halted  before  the 
Chancellor's  chair.  Those  who  have  consented  will  be 


23J 

seated  on  the  left:  those  who  refused  will  be  seated  on 
the  right.  The  bandages  are  taken  from  the  candidates' 
eyes.  After  a  panse  the  Chancellor  proceeds:) 

Chancellor :  "It  was  never  our  intention  that  a  can- 
didate should  he  permitted  to  take  a  wrongful  obligation. 
What  you  have  just  passed  through  was  intended  as  a 
lesson  against  temptation. 

"The  Order  of  Hepta sophs,  or  Seven  Wise  Men, 
teaches  nothing  that  can  conflict  with  the  most  sacred 
duties.  On  the  contrary ;  it  seeks  to  enforce  those  duties 
which  in  the  hardening  struggle  of  life,  men  are  too 
prone  to  forget.  Be  ever  firm  and  watchful,  and  ever 
adhere  to  principles.  Is  this  your  signature? 

(The  document  is  shown  to  candidate  and  its  contents 
read  aloud.) 

"You  should  never  do  an  act  without  counting  seven 
times,  and  know  what  you  are  doing.  See  the  evidence 
of  the  onerous  charge  which  you  have  so  thoughtlessly 
assumed." 

(The  Chancellor  burns  the  paper.) 

"Let  the  remembrance  of  this  name  ever  be  bright  in 
your  memory,  lest  you  be  brought  down  to  bewail  misery 
and  desolation,  induced  by  recklessness  and  folly." 

Chancellor's  address  to  the  candidate  on  the  right : 

(This  address  is  given  only  to  the  candidate  or  can- 
didates who  refiised.  If  none  refused,  this  address  is 
omitted.) 

Chancellor:  "You  have  had  the  self-possession  and 
courage  to  discern  the  advances  of  false  philosophy — and 
to  resist  them.  I  congratulate  you,  and  have  only  to 
add,  that  what  you  have  passed  through  is  simply  a  lesson 
showing  in  the  rugged  path  you  were  made  to  pass  over, 


232 

as  a  punishment  by  your  resistance  of  temptation,  how 
the  evil  are  ever  seeking  to  throw  obstacles  and  diffi- 
culties in  the  way  of  virtue  and  integrity." 

Address  to  candidates  on  the  left : 

(This  is  omitted  if  there  be  no  candidates  present  who 
consented. ) 

Chancellor:  "To  you  who  failed  to  preceive  the  snare 
into  which  you  are  being  led,  we  have  no  censure  to 
offer.  Many  of  us  have  been  alike  thoughtless  and  in- 
considerate. 

"We  are  happy  to  know,  from  the  character  you  have 
sustained,  and  which  has  shown  you  worthy  of  admis- 
sion and  advancement  in  our  Order,  that  yours  has  been 
an  error  of  want  of  thought  and  attention,  and  not  of 
principle.  But  let  the  lesson  sink  deep  into  your  heart. 
Error  is  honey-tongued,  artful  and  persuasive.  Let  us 
not  suffer  ourselves  to  be  beguiled  by  it.  Conduct  the 
candidate  to  the  Eminent  Archon." 

(The  Archon  now  addresses  the  Inspector  General,  as 
follows : ) 

Archon:  "Inspector  General,  you  will  now  see  that 
the  candidate  is  clothed  in  a  crimson  apron,  and  again 
seated  before  me  for  instructions." 

INSTRUCTION  OF  THIRL)  DRGKEE. 

Archon:  "In  the  ancient  mystic  teachings,  two  be- 
ings, or  principles,  were  represented  as  controlling  the 
entire  universe.  These  were  Ormisda  and  Ahriman,  who 
represent  the  good  and  the  evil  principle,  the  right  and 
the  wrong.  The  choice  of  the  right  or  the  wrong,  is  ever 
before  us  and  within  us.  It  depends  upon  ourselves 


233 

which  shall  obtain  mastery.  If  we  lend  a  willing  ear  to 
the  latter,  we  will  find  its  subtleties  artful  and  persuasive 
and  its  reasonings  and  arguments  plausible  and  seduc- 
tive. To  err  is  human.  It  therefore  behooves  us  to  be 
guarded  and  cautious  whenever  any  proposition  is  made 
to  us,  either  from  within  or  without,  involving  anything 
not  strictly  conforming  to  the  moral  sense.  By  remem- 
bering this  caution,  and  refusing  to  yield  to  false  philo- 
sophy, however  ingenious,  much  evil  may  be  avoided. 

"You  will  now  take  your  seat  among  the  members  of 
the  Conclave,  and  I  proclaim  you  to  be  a  Third  Degree 
member  of  this  Order." 

The  Improved  Order  of  Heptasophs  is  an  offspring  of 
this  Order  and  was  founded  in  1878. 

Though  in  both  orders  we  do  not  find  the  oath  and 
prayers,  as  in  many  other  societies,  still  it  is  obvious  from 
the  foregoing,  taken  verbatim  from  the  ritual,  that  the 
Order  of  Seven  Wise  Men  falls  under  the  ban  of  the 
church,  and  that  no  Catholic  can  belong  to  the  same  and 
retain  his  membership  in  the  church. 


CHAPTER  XXXIII. 

FORESTERS. 

There  are,  at  present,  according  to  the  Cyclopa?dia  of 
Fraternities,  the  following  Orders  of  Foresters:  An- 
cient Order  of  Foresters,  Ancient  Order  of  Foresters  in 
America,  Canadian  Order  of  Foresters,  Companion  of 
the  Forest  (Foresters),  Glenwood  Degree  of  Foresters, 
Independent  Order  of  Foresters,  Negro  Independent 
Order  of  Foresters,  Independent  Order  of  Foresters  of 
Illinios,  Irish  National  Order  of  Foresters,  Junior  For- 
esters of  America,  Juvenile  Foresters,  Knights  of  the 
Sherwood  Foresters,  Miriam  Degree  of  Foresters,  For- 
esters of  America,  Pennsylvania  Order  of  Foresters, 
Royal  Order  of  Foresters,  United  Order  of  Foresters, 
Female  Foresters,  etc. 

One  and  all  of  the  Forester  Orders  are  children  of  the 
Masonic  Fraternity.  When  the  Order  was  first  started 
in  England,  by  Masons,  about  the  middle  of  the  eigh- 
teenth century,  for  convivial  purposes,  the  ceremonies 
were  drawn  from  the  legends  and  stories  concerning 
Robin  Hood,  Little  John,  and  their  merry  men,  with 
which  the  English  people  were  so  familiar. 

I  select  the  United  Order  of  Foresters,  and  show  from 
the  ritual  of  that  Order  that  the  Foresters  are  a  secret 
society,  to  which  a  Catholic  can  not  belong. 

The  title  of  officers  are:  High  Chief  Ranger,  High 
Marshall,  Senior  and  Junior  Beadle,  Woodward,  etc.  The 


235 

common  members  are  called  Foresters,  and  the  candi- 
date is  dubbed  "captive."  Meetings  are  called  Courts. 
When  a  candidate,  as  "captive/'  is  prepared  for  initia- 
tion, one  of  the  brothers  proceeds  to  the  ante-room  to 
prepare  candidate,  which  is  done  by  blindfolding  him 
securely  and  tying  a  chain  around  his  arms.  Meanwhile 
the  Court  Eoom  is  prepared  and  among  the  articles  are : 
A  lot  of  brushwood,  standing,  to  represent  a  forest,  a 
long  narrow  trough  with  pieces  nailed  across  about  18 
inches  apart  and  a  strong  canvas  nailed  loosely  over  all, 
so  when  the  candidate  steps  into  it  the  canvas  sinks  down 
between  the  cross-pieces  and  every  step  is  the  same,  the 
canvass  sinking  down  at  each  step.  There  is  also  a  double 
inclined  plane  sloping  in  two  directions,  made  of  strong 
wide  boards  with  cleats  nailed  irregularly  across  one 
slope  making  it  difficult  to  walk  up,  and  when  the  top  is 
reached,  the  other  slope  is  so  fixed  that  when  the  candi- 
date steps  on  it,  it  gives  way  and  lets  him  down  very 
suddenly  about  a  foot.  Also  another  inclined  plane  made 
of  rollers  placed  close  together,  so  that  every  time  the 
candidate  attempts  to  mount,  he  slips  back.  There  is, 
besides,  a  shallow  box  filled  with  round  sticks,  cobble 
stones  and  straps  nailed  across,  to  trip  the  candidate.  A 
tremendous  tin  horn  with  reed  fixed  in  end,  to  blow  a 
blast  in  the  ear  of  the  candidate,  a  flat  paddle  to  slap  can- 
didate and  help  him  over  obstacles.  As  soon  as  the  Court 
is  properly  prepared  the  Woodwards  report  to  the  Chief 
Eanger,  who  calls  the  Court  to  order  with  three  raps. 
Chief  Eanger:  "Vice  Chief  Eanger,  Officers  and 

Brothers,  Mr. ,  having  been  duly  declared  worthy 

to  be  admitted  to  the  mysteries  and  privileges  of  For- 
estry, I  have  to  ask  your  kind  attention  during  the 


236 

initiation.  Let  it  be  felt  by  all  that  upon  an  occasion  of 
so  great  importance,  the  ceremony  cannot  be  too  solemnly 
or  impressively  rendered.  I  charge  you  to  receive  the 
candidate  as  one  worthy  to  become  a  member  of  our  For- 
est Home.  Extend  to  him  your  fraternal  consideration, 
so  that  he  may  be  impressed  with  the  conviction  that  this 
Court  rightly  knows  how  to  honor  every  accession  to  its 
members.*' 

Chief  Ranger :  "Vice  Chief  Ranger,  I  will  thank  you 
to  direct  that  the  candidate  be  admitted  in  due  form." 

Vice  Chief  Ranger :  "Brother  Senior  Beadle,  let  the 
candidate  be  admitted  in  due  form." 

(The  members  will  then  put  on  their  masks,  and  the 
Senior  Beadle  will  give  three  loud  raps  on  the  door,  when 
the  Junior  Beadle  will  blow  his  horn  as  an  alarm,  or 
answer  by  three  raps  twice :)  

Senior  Beadle:  Vice  Chief  Ranger,  there  is  an 
alarm  in  the  outskirts  of  the  forest." 

Vice  Chief  Ranger :  "An  alarm !  Ascertain  the  cause 
thereof  and  report  to  me  forthwith." 

(Senior  Beadle  again  gives  three  raps  on  the  door, 
then  partly  opens  it,  or  opens  the  wicket  and  exclaims:) 

Senior  Beadle:     "Who  comes  there?" 

Junior  Beadle :     "A  Brother  Forester  with  a  captive." 

Senior  Beadle:  "Vice  Chief  Ranger,  I  have  to  re- 
port that  the  alarm  was  caused  by  a  brother  with  a  cap- 
tive, and  asks  admittance." 

Vice  Chief  Ranger:  "Let  the  captive  be  properly 
secured  and  brought  hither." 

(The  candidate  is  pushed  through  the  door,  and  in- 
stantly grabbed  by  two  of  the  brothers,  who  rush  him  to 
the  center  of  the  room,  amid  the  loud  braying  of  horns 


237 

and  crash  of  thunder,  where  he  is  met  and  stopped  sud- 
denly by  the  Vice  Chief  .Ranger,  who  addresses  him  in  a 
loud  and  excited  voice : ) 

Vice  Chief  Ranger:  "Captive  stranger,  why  did  you 
enter  the  silent  precincts  of  our  wild  retreat?  Why 
violate  our  law  by  trespassing  in  the  outskirts  of  our 
forest  and  thus  incurring  the  penalty  of  death  ?  Did  you 
not  know  that  none  but  true  Foresters  were  allowed  here  ? 
Why  did  you  seek  to  enter  ?" 

Senior  Woodward  (Answering  for  candidate)  :  "Be- 
cause I  come  to  enlist  with  the  brave  and  noble  band  of 
Foresters." 

Vice  Chief  Ranger:  "Ah,  he  desires  to  join  our 
Forestic  band.  Then  lead  him  to  our  Forest  Home, 
where  Robin  Hood,  our  Chief  Ranger,  may  examine 
him." 

(The  candidate  is  led  around  the  hall  and  over  the 
rough  road,  during  which  time  an  ode  is  sung.  He  is 
halted  before  the  altar,  on  each  side  of  which  the  Wood- 
wards stand  with  their  uplifted  axes;  the  chains  and 
hoodwink  are  taken  off  and  the  Chief  Ranger  addresses 
him  thus:) 

Chief  Ranger:  ''Mr. ,  before  you  can  be  en- 
rolled as  a  Forester,  it  is  necessary  that  you  give  a  solemn 
pledge  to  be  true  to  the  principles  of  the  Order  and  keep 
inviolate  the  secrets  which  may  be  communicated  to 
you ;  for  which  purpose,  therefore,  I  will  thank  you  to 
stand  before  the  altar  of  Liberty,  Benevolence  and  Con- 
cord, with  your  right  hand  on  your  left  breast,  your  left 
hand  elevated,  and  repeat  after  me  the  solemn  obligation 
of  a  Forester 


238 

I, ,  of  my  own  free  will  and  accord,  in  the  pres- 
ence of  the  Supreme  Ruler  of  the  Universe  and  of  the 
members  of  the  United  Order  of  Foresters,  here  as- 
sembled, do  most  solemnly  and  sincerely  promise  and 
declare  that  I  will  ever  conceal  and  never  reveal  any 
word,  sign,  grip  or  token,  or' any  other  secret  or  private 
work  of  the  United  Order  of  Foresters  which  shall  now 
or  may  hereafter  be  communicated  to  me,  to  any  one 
in  the  world,  unless  it  be  to  a  brother  Forester,  I  know- 
ing him  to  be  such,  by  due  examination,  or  upon  the 
word  of  a  brother  who  is  known  to  me,  or  in  the  body  of 
a  regular  constituted  Court.  I  will  not  repeat  outside 
of  the  Court  room  any  transaction  whatsoever,  which 
may  take  place  therein,  which  by  the  regulation  of  the 
Order  should  be  kept  secret,  unless  1  am  duly  authorized 
so  to  do  by  the  constituted  authorities  of  the  Order.  I 
further  promise  that  I  will  not  wrong  a  brother  or  see 
him  wronged,  if  in  my  power  to  prevent  it,  and  will  do 
all  I  can  legitimately  to  alleviate  the  needs,  protect  the 
honor  and  advance  the  welfare  of  a  Brother  Forester.  I 
will  be  obedient  to  all  the  laws  and  usages  of  the  Order, 
and  will  hold  allegiance  to  the  Supreme  Court  and  be 
loyal  thereto,  as  the  Supreme  authority  of  the  entire 
Order.  I  will  obey  all  legal  mandates  of  the  High  Court 
and  of  any  Court  of  which  T  may  be  a  member.  And  I 
I  will  take  no  part  in  any  illegal  distribution  of  the  funds 
or  property  of  any  Court.  And  I  further  promise  and 
agree,  that  should  T,  from  any  cause,  cease  to  be  a  mem- 
ber of  the  Order,  my  obligation  of  secrecy  shall  remain 
binding  and  in  full  force,  and  that  all  my  right,  title  and 
interest  in  and  to  any  property  or  funds  of  the  Court 
shall  thereby  terminate  and  become  absolutely  void.  For 


239 

the  faithful  observance  of  all  which,  I  hereby  pledge  my 
most  sacred  honor." 

The  candidate  is  then  instructed  in  the  signs  and 
counter-signs  and  is  told :  "The  grip  of  a  Forester  is 
given  thus :  Grasp  with  your  right  hand,  the  whole  of 
the  brother's  right  hand,  below  the  knuckle  joint.  It  is 
intended  as  a  memorial  of  the  dependence  upon  each 
other  of  our  first  parents,  who,  when  expelled  from  the 
Garden  of  Eden,  through  the  sin  of  disobedience,  became 
in  more  than  a  figurative  sense,  the  first  Foresters — the 
wilderness  of  the  world  before  thorn,  with  all  its  dangers, 
trials  and  temptations.  We  are  taught  by  this  to  recog- 
nize the  duty  of  walking  hand  in  hand  through  the  forest 
of  this  life  and  helping  each  other  to  surmount  its  diffi- 
culties and  to  bear  up  under  its  disappointments." 

When  the  Marshal  introduces  the  Chaplain  he  says : 

"High  Chief  Ranger,  T  have  the  honor  to  present  the 
Chaplain  of  this  Court  for  installation." 

High  Chief  Eanger:  "Brother  Chaplain,  you  have 
been  chosen  to  fill  a  most  important  position  in  this 
Court.  I  trust  you  will  always  strive  to  conduct  the  de- 
votional exercises  acceptably,  so  that  we  may  look  to 
have  the  blessings  of  heaven  rest  upon  our  labor  here." 

Both  at  the  opening  and  closing  of  the  Court  the 
Chaplain  says  a  prescribed  prayer. 


CHAPTER  XXXIV. 

ORDER  OF  THE  RED  CROSS. 

This  Order  is  usually  referred  to  as  Knights  of  the 
Red  Cross.  It  was  founded  in  1879  by  members  of  the 
Ancient  Order  of  United  Workmen  and  Freemasons.  Its 
ritual  is  based  on  Biblical  incidents.  The  emblem  is  a 
red  Greek  cross  surmounted  by  a  crown,  a  white  five- 
pointed  star  in  the  center,  with  the  motto  of  the  order, 
"Omnia  pro  charitate,"  on  a  blue  band  encircling  it. 
The  semi-religious  character  is  evident  from  the  form  of 
prayer  and  the  mode  of  initiation.  The  oath  is  a  fea- 
ture which  adds  to  the  marks  why  a  Christian  can  not 
join  or  remain  a  member  of  this  Order.  At  the  proper 
time,  when  the  meeting  takes  place,  the  Commander 
says:  "Brother  Prelate,  you  will  invoke  the  divine 
blessing. 

OPENING  PRAYER. 

"Supreme  Ruler  of  the  "Universe,  Maker  and  Father 
of  all  things;  who  is  there  in  Heaven  but  Thee;  who 
upon  earth  can  stand  in  competition  with  Thee  ?  Thine 
omniscient  mind  brings  all  things  to  review,  past,  pres- 
ent and  to  come.  Thine  omnipresent  arm  directs  the 
movements  of  the  vast  Creation.  Thine  Omnipresent 
eye  pervades  the  recesses  of  every  heart.  Thy  boundless 
benefactions  supply  us  with  every  comfort  and  enjoy- 
ment. Thy  unspeakable  perfection  and  glory  surpass 


241 

the  understanding  of  the  children  of  men.  We  do  most 
humbly  invoke  Thy  special  blessing  upon  the  purpose  of 
our  assembly.  Let  this  Commandery  be  established  in 
Thy  honor  and  glory ;  endow  the  officers  with  wisdom  to 
discern  and  fidelity  to  pursue  its  true  interest;  may  the 
members  be  ever  mindful  of  the  duty  they  owe  to  their 
superiors,  the  love  they  owe  to  their  equals,  and  the  good 
will  they  owe  to  all  mankind.  Teach  us  to  be  charitable 
to  one  another,  to  help  each  other  in  time  of  need,  and 
may  the  members  ever  exemplify  their  love  to  Thee  by 
their  beneficence  to  their  fellow  man  and  eventually  en- 
joy the  reward  of  a  well  spent  life  in  the  heaven  of  rest 
on  high  and  Thy  name  shall  have  all  the  glory,  Amen." 
(At  initiation  the  candidate  is  blindfolded,  etc., 
marched  around  the  hall  and  stands  before  the  Com- 
mander, who  says:) 

Commander:  "Halt!  Who  are  you?" 
Sergeant:  "One  who  haa  come  from  the  outside 
world  to  unite  with  a  band  of  brothers  pledged  to  assist 
each  other  to  perform  acts  of  kindness,  join  in  the  noble 
work  of  relieving  the  distressed,  and  protecting  the 
widows  and  orphans  of  deceased  brethren." 

Commander:     "Such  being  your  desire,  you  will  be 
conducted  to  the  Altar,  there  to  take  upon  yourself  an 
obligation  which  all  of  us  have  taken,  and  in  which  you 
will  find  nothing  that  conflicts  with  any  duty  you  owe  to 
God,  your  country,  your  family  or  yourself." 
(Sergeant  conducts  the  candidate  to  the  altar.) 
Commander:     "If  it  is  still  your  wish  to  become  a 
member  of  our  Order  you  will  place  your  hands  in  a 
proper  position  (on  the  Bible  and  the  Square  Cross,  with 


242 

the  letter  C  on  top;  the  wrists  crossed),  say,  I,  with  your 
own  name,  and  repeat  af ter  me : 

"I, ,  in  the  presence  of  the  Supreme  Ruler  of 

the  universe  and  the  brethren  here  assembled,  do  hereby 
solemnly  pledge  and  vow  not  to  divulge  or  make  known 
in  any  manner  whatsoever  any  of  the  secrets  or  mysteries 
of  the  Order  of  the  Eed  Cross,  that  have  been  or  shall  be 
hereafter  communicated  to  me;  that  I  will  acknowledge 
the  Supreme  Commandery  of  this  Order,  and  the  Grand 
Commandery  within  whose  jurisdiction  I  may  be,  and 
obey  all  the  laws,  rules  and  regulations  governing  the 
same,  also  the  Commandery  of  which  I  may  hereafter 
become  a  member.  That  I  will  assist  all  worthy  and 
distressed  brethren  of  the  Order  so  far  as  my  ability  will 
permit,  that  I  will  give  employment  to  a  brother  when 
in  my  power  to  do  so,  in  preference  to  a  stranger,  every- 
thing else  being  equal ;  that  I  will  not  wrong  or  defraud 
a  brother  of  this  Order,  and  will  give  him  due  and  time- 
ly notice  of  impending  danger  when  in  my  power  to  do 
so ;  that  I  will  assist  the  widows  and  orphans  of  deceased 
members  and  protect  them  as  far  as  shall  lay  in  my 
power.  All  this  I  solemnly  promise  and  vow,  binding 
myself  under  no  less  penalty  than  that  of  having  my 
name  stricken  from  the  roll  of  membership,  and  to  be 
treated  by  all  good  men  as  one  unworthy  to  hold  any 
honorable  position  in  society,  so  help  me  the  Most  High, 
the  Supreme  Ruler  of  the  Universe,  to  keep  and  perform 
this,  my  solemn  obligation,  as  a  member  of  the  Red 
Cross." 

Commander :  "Brother  Sergeant,  you  see  before  you 
the  Holy  Bible,  upon  which  rests  the  Square  Cross  and 
the  letter  C.  The  Holy  Bible  is  given  us  as  a  rule  and 


243 

guide  to  our  faith.  The  Square  Cross  to  guide  us  in  the 
path  of  rectitude,  squaring  our  action  by  the  square  of 
Virtue,  ever  keeping  in  mind  the  noblest  of  virtues, 
Charity.  I  will  now  proceed  to  make  you  acquainted 
witli  the  signs  and  password  of  our  Order." 


CHAPTEE  XXXV. 

UNITED  SONS  OF  INDTJSTBY. 

The  Chaplain  defines  his  duties  as :  "To  conduct  the 
devotional  exercises  and  perform  such  other  duties  as 
the  President  may  direct/' 

OPENING  PRAYER  BY   CHAPLAIN. 

"Almighty  Maker  of  the  Universe,  and  giver  of  every 
good  to  mankind,  we  return  our  heartiest  thanks  to  Thee, 
that  we  are  permitted  to  again  assemble  here.  Be  with 
all  connected  with  our  Order,  and  aid  us  in  extending 
its  benefits  in  all  parts  of  our  land.  Be  with  all  Orders 
and  associations  having  for  their  object  the  advancement 
of  education  and  the  moral  welfare  and  happiness  of 
mankind.  Amen." 

The  candidate  for  initiation  in  the  different  degrees 
of  Apprentice,  Journeyman  and  Master  Mechanic,  has 
to  pass  through  the  usual  process  of  examination,  cross- 
questioning,  etc.,  till  he  is  told  to  kneel  before  an  open 
coffin  containing  a  skeleton,  representing  a  dead  traitor 
to  the  Order,  his  right  hand  resting  on  the  coffin  and 
left  hand  on  his  breast: 

President:  "Brother ,  if  you  are  still  willing 

to  proceed,  you  will  repeat  after  me  the  following  ob- 
ligation: 


245 

MASTER  MECHANIC'S  OBLIGATION. 

"In  the  presence  of  Almighty  God  and  these  witnesses 
assembled  in  this  duly  organized  Lodge  of  United  Sons 
of  Industry,  now  working  in  the  Third,  or  Master  Me- 
chanic's Degree,  do  most  solemnly  affirm  that  I  will 
never  reveal  any  or  either  of  the  secrets  that  may  be 
committed  to  my  care  now,  or  at  any  other  time,  to  any 
person  or  persons,  upon  any  pretence  whatsoever,  unless 
to  a  worthy  brother  of  this  degree,  and  then  only  when  I 
am  duly  authorized  so  to  do  for  the  good  of  the  Order. 
The  Grand  Hailing  Sign  of  Distress  or  the  words  which 
accompany  it,  I  will  never  give  under  any  circumstances, 
unless  my  life  is  in  danger  or  for  the  purpose  of  instruc- 
tion ;  and  should  I  see  that  sign  given  by  day  or  hear  the 
word  which  accompanies  it  by  night,  I  will  go  to  the 
assistance  of  the  brother  in  distress,  and  aid  or  relieve 
him  if  in  my  power.  Furthermore,  should  I  at  any  time 
see  or  hear  of  a  worthy  brother  of  this  degree  about  to 
be  despoiled  unlawfully  of  any  property,  or  any  undue 
advantage  taken  of  him,  I  will  warn  him  of  such  if 
within  my  power.  Should  I  at  any  time  have  any  place 
of  emolument  at  my  disposal,  and  a  worthy  brother  of 
this  degree  apply  for  such,  I  shall  give  him  the  prefer- 
ence, I  deeming  him  capable  of  fulfilling  the  duties 
requisite  thereof.  Binding  myself  upon  the  violation  of 
this  obligation  to  no  less  penalty  than  total  expulsion 
from  the  Order.  So  help  me  God,  and  keep  me  steadfast 
in  this,  my  solemn  vow  and  obligation,  of  this,  the 
Master  Mechanic's  Degree  of  the  United  Sons  of  In- 
dustry." 

President:     "Brother,   which  do  you  most  desire: 
light  or  darkness  ?" 


246 

Candidate:    "Light." 

President:     "Give  our  brother  light." 

(At  the  head  and  foot  of  the  coffin  stand  two  masked 
persons  in  long  black  robes,  and  on  the  right  hand 
side  stands  the  Chaplain,  in  a  long  white  robe, 
also  masked.  As  the  hoodwink  is  removed  from  candi- 
date's eyes,  they  each  point  with  forefinger  at  the  skele- 
ton, when  the  Chaplain  exclaims:  "Behold  the  secret 
doom.") 

Vice  President :  "My  brother,  behold  the  traitor's 
doom.  He  whom  you  first  saw  surrounded  by  friends, 
who  would  have  shielded  him  from  every  danger;  who 
would  have  been  his  support  in  every  trial,  proved  recre- 
ant to  the  trust  confided  to  him.  Those  brothers,  for 
self-protection,  and  in  strict  compliance  with  their  ob- 
ligation, were  forced  to  turn  against  him  the  sword  of 
Justice  as  a  brother.  He  fell  from  the  high  position  to 
which  they  had  exalted  him,  his  shafts  of  enmity  were 
turned,  his  babbling  tongue  was  forever  silenced;  be 
met  a  traitor's  doom.  Behold  !  Beware !  Hold  sacred 
your  obligation.  Let  his  fate  be  an  example  forever  be- 
fore you;  let  the  impression  sink  deep  into  your  heart. 
That  you  may  be  guided  aright  is  the  prayer  of  all  these 
Brothers  who  now  surround  you." 

President:  "Guide  the  brother  still  further  on  his 
way."  (Escort  hoodwinks  the  candidate  and  marches 
him  three  times  around  the  hall,  halting  in  front  of  the 
President,  when  hoodwink  is  removed.) 

President:  "Brother,  as  you  have  taken  the  third 
and  last  step,  you  are  now  entitled  to  all  the  signs,  grips 
and  passwords  of  this  lodge." 


CHAPTER  XXXVI. 

ORDER   OF    MUTUAL    PROTECTION. 

Tin*  opening  ode  having  been  sung,  the  Chaplain  shall 
say  : 

Chaplain :  "We  thank  Thee,  Our  Heavenly  Father, 
for  the  happiness  we  enjoy  in  our  meetings,  for  the. 
friendship  which  binds  us  together  a,s  members,  and  for 
the  mutual  protection  which  this  Order  affords.  We 
entreat  Thee  to  assist  us  to  govern  our  hearts  by  the 
blessed  law  of  charity,  that  we  may  become  more  perfect 
::iid  worthy  of  our  membership  and  of  Thy  love  and 
protection." 

For  initiation  the  ritual  prescribes :  "The  Bible  is  to 
be  placed  on  a  stand  in  front  of  the  Chaplain." 

The  Chaplain  directs  the  candidate:  "Place  your 
right  hand  on  the  Bible,  pronounce  your  full  name  and 
repeat  after  me: 

"I,  —  — ,  do  solemnly  promise  to  assist  in  carrying 
out  the  objects  of  this  Order  and  bind  and  obligate  my- 
self to  the  faithful  discharge,  to  the  best  of  my  ability, 
of  the1  duties  of  a  member,  and  that  E  shall  never  divulge 
or  make  known  the  business  or  private  work  of  the  lodge 
to  anyone  not  entitled  to  receive  it,  for  the  keeping  of 
which  I  pledge  my  sacred  word  of  honor." 


CHAPTEE  XXXVII. 

KNIGHTS  OP  THE  ORIENT. 

According  to  the  Kitual :  "The  aim  of  the  Order  is 
to  improve  the  condition  of  mankind."  The  Chaplain 
is  called  "Grand  Prophet/'  His  duties  are:  "to  assist 
in  the  ceremonies  of  initiation  and  to  perform  such 
other  duties  as  the  Grand  Chief  Orient  may  direct."  The 
candidate  is  called  Pilgrim.  He  is  gravely  told,  as  in 
other  lodges,  by  the  Grand  Marshal:  "Sir,  my  first 
duty,  requires  me  to  assure  you  that  neither  your  polit- 
ical, moral  nor  religions  liberty  will  in  any  wise  be  affect- 
ed by  the  obligation,  rites,  regulations  or  laws  of  the 
Order." 

The  Grand  Marshal  conducts  the  Pilgrim  to  the 
Grand  Chief  Orient  and  says:  "Grand  Chief  Orient, 
he  who  stands  before  you  has  signified  his  desire  to  be- 
come one  of  us,  and  his  willingness  to  covenant  with,  and 
obedient  to  our  laws  and  usages." 

Grand  Chief  Orient  (to  candidate)  :  "Pilgrim,  is  this 
true?" 

Candidate:     "Yes,  it  is  true." 

Grand  Chief  Orient:  "Then  answer  promptly  and 
respectfully  our  questions;  attend  closely  to  our  rites 
and  ceremonies,  and  yield  willing  obedience  to  official 
commands,  and  unwavering  fidelity  to  our  obligations, 
laws  and  rules.  Under  these  requirements  will  you 
assume  and  comply  with  our  obligations,  laws  and  regu- 


249 

lations,  and  ever  afterwards  conduct  yourself  as  be- 
comes an  upright  member  of  this  Order  ?" 

Candidate  answers. 

Grand  Chief  Orient:  "Grand  Marshal,  conduct  the 
Pilgrim  to  our  Grand  Prophet,  where  he  will  be  duly 
obligated." 

Grand  Marshal:  "Grand  Prophet,  the  Grand  Chief 
Orient  directs  that  you  administer  our  binding  obliga- 
tion upon  this  Pilgrim." 

Grand  Prophet:  "Pilgrim,  having  signified  your  will- 
ingness to  proceed,  as  they  sat  in  ancient  mosques  of 
the  orient,  be  seated  in  our  temple  of  modern  wisdom 

and  repeat:  I, ,  do  sincerely  promise,  declare  and 

say  that  I  will  truly  and  faithfully  regard  and  conform 
to  all  the  obligations  that  I  now  or  hereafter  may  assume 
in  this  Order,  and  will  warn  against,  and,  if  in  my  pow- 
er, prevent  the  exposing  or  publishing  in  any  manner 
whatsoever,  any  sign,  grip,  password  or  position,  or 
other  privacies  thereof. 

"And  now  I  sacredly  promise,  that  once  having  as- 
sumed them,  I  will  never  again  permit  myself  to  be 
seen  in  either  of  the  positions  of  this  Order,  so  that  they 
will  be  discovered  as  such,  or  confer  any  degree,  or 
make  known  to  any  uninitiated  or  unprepared  person, 
unless  authorized  by  a  Supreme  or  Grand  Council,  or 
such  authority  as  shall  legally  emanate  therefrom,  and 
then  provided  only  I  shall  find  such  person  to  be  a  male 
of  the  human  race. 

"And  I  further  promise  that  I  will  ever  and  always 
promptly  respond  to  the  distress  sign." 

Grand  Chief  Orient :  "Arise,  be  faithful ;  go,  journey 
with  and  learn  wisdom  from  our  Grand  Marshal." 


250 

Grand  Marshal :  "Come;  our  way" to  wisdom  is  direct. 
Race  and  association  here  a.re  chosen,  but  no  distinction 
is  made  on  account  of  wealth,  religion  or  politics.  Here 
we  germinate  thought,  gather  reason  from  symbolism, 
elevate  man's  social  position,  and  inculcate  equality  of 
heart  and  mind;  believing  these  are  principles  that  will 
aid  in  keeping  more  perfect  the  fraternal  band  of  union 
between  man  and  man. 

"But  come;  our  Grand  Vice  Orient  has  a  word  of 
wisdom  to  repeat,  to  which  in  silent  reverence  listen." 

Grand  Vice  Orient:  "Pilgrim,  remember,  a  sensible 
man  will  seek  and  enter  the  portals  of  any  secret  society 
with  calm  and  serious  thought.  Be  not  deceived,  but 
rather  assured  that  oft,  in  either  pantomime  or  bur- 
lesque, many  a  valuable  lesson  is  taught.  Ignorance 
sometimes  aided  by  prejudice,  frequently  condemns  se- 
cret, charitable  and  benevolent  fraternities,  as  conducive 
of  no  good  to  society,  containing  no  pure  sentiment  or 
true  instructions.  High  associations  should  be  the  aim 
of  all  men.  Charity  should  speak  in  silence,  Benevo- 
lence knows  no  boast,  nor  Friendship  falsity.  We  can 
gratify  no  idle  curiosity.  No  thoughtful  man  can  jour- 
ney tl trough  our  gates  without  finding  something  be- 
yond of  more  than  meaningless  pantomine.  The  pur- 
pose of  this  Order  is  not  to  erect  vain  altars,  but  to 
exemplify  a  lesson,  and  to  practice  those  principles  cal- 
culated to  form  and  strengthen  thought  and  reason. 
If  man's  heart  is  responsive  to  the  latter's  call  and  he 
loves  the  beautiful  and  good,  and  desires  their  reward, 
we  welcome  him  to  our  fellowship.  Life's  responsibil- 
ities, its  sorrows  and  its  sadness  are  ever  before  us  to 
keep  more  perfect  the  fraternal  bond  of  union  between 


261 

man  and  man.  A  great  fact  thus  speaks  to  mortal  man, 
to  which  you  will  in  silent  reverence  kneel  and  listen." 

After  a  lengthy  exhortation,  the  Grand  Chief  Orient 
says : 

"Brothers  of  the  Orient,  the  hour  for  ribald  speech  and 
boisterous  mirth  is  at  an  end.  Let  us  forsake  the  orgies 
into  which  we  have  been  led,  and  to  this  weary  pilgrim, 
seeking  favor  at  our  hands,  confer  the  boon,  that  he  may 
sit  within  this  Oriental  Circle,  and  with  us  council  over 
the  woes  of  fallen  man.  Grand  Marshal,  give  the  pil- 
grim courteous  guidance  to  the  altar  of  our  Grand 
Prophet,  that,  lie  may  pour  the  oil  of  calm  repose,  in 
words  of  wisdom,  over  the  fretted,  downcast  soul,  and 
fit  it  for  the  splendors  of  our  Oriental  Temple." 

(Grand  Marshal  conducts  pilgrim  to  the  Grand 
Prophet  and  instructs  him  to  kneel  on  both  knees.) 

Grand  Marshal :  "Grand  Prophet,  by  command  of 
the  Grand  Chief  Orient,  I  present  this  pilgrim,  who 
seeks  wisdom  and  consolation,  to  prepare  him  to  mingle 
with  our  circle." 

(After  more  advice,  the  Grand  Chief  Orient  says)  : 

"Princes,  give  heed  and  join  in  this  grand  and  solemn 
rite — forming  a  crescent  around  the  throne,  symbolic 
of  our  ancient  creed.  Pilgrim,  step  by  step  you  have 
scaled  the  ladder,  leading  to  the  summit  of  our  oriental 
splendors.  Amid  the  grand  old  mosque  and  temples  of 
orients;  in  the  palace  of  the  princes,  round  about  the 
chancel,  gathered  there  the  noble  throng  of  youth  and 
beaut}',  brilliant  as  the  morning  sun.  And  now,  sur- 
rounded by  this  Council  and  brothers  of  this  circle,  by 
my  command,  I  bid  you  bow  your  head  and  receive  the 
crown  you  have  so  ably  won." 


262 

(Crown  is  put  on  candidate's  head.) 

Grand  Chief  Orient :  "Brothers  of  our  ancient  Order, 
behold  the  emblem  of  your  creed.  Salute  your  peer. 

"Oriental  Prince,  having  successfully  passed  through 
the  rites  and  ceremonies  of  the  Order,  it  only  remains 
for  me  to  instruct  you  in  the  signs,  passwords  and  grip, 
that  you  may  be  able  to  make  yourself  known  to  mem- 
bers of  the  Order." 


CHAPTEK  XXXVIII. 

HOME  FORUM  BENEFIT  ORDEE. 

This  Order  was  founded  by  prominent  members  of  the 
Modern  Woodmen  and  of  the  Masonic  Fraternity,  and 
chartered  under  the  laws  of  the  State  of  Illinois,  in  1892. 
"The  Eitual  finds  its  inspiration  in  Eoman  history.  It 
was  about  the  Eoman  Forum  that  Cicero,  Caesar,  Brutus, 
Anthony  and  other  distinguished  Eomans  met  to  discuss 
the  questions  of  their  time  and  form  laws,  and  the 
Home  Forum  of  to-day,  adopting  the  old  Eoman  name, 
meets  to  decide  questions  of  interest  to  its  members  and 
impart  the  lesson  of  honesty,  fraternity,  benevolence, 
temperance,  and  patriotism,  the  initials  of  which  are 
found  in  the  angles  of  the  golden  star  of  the  Order." 
(Cyclopaedia  of  Fraternities,  pp.  136  and  137.) 

From  the  Eitual,  page  7,  ff.  President  (to  candi- 
date) :  "...  .Will  you  promise. . .  .never  to  reveal  what 
we  shall  here  teach  you  ?" 

(The  candidate  will  answer:     "I  will.") 

President:  "Then  I  charge  you  to  be  circumspect. 
Treasure  in  your  memory  the  words  which  shall  be 
spoken  to  you,  and  seal  your  lips,  that  nothing  may 
injure  our  Order  or  violate  the  pledge  you  have  just 
made.  Orator,  you  may  now  conduct  our  Friend  to  the 
Vice  President,  who  will  further  enlighten  him." 

(The  Orator  conducts  the  candidate  to  the  station  of 


254 

the  Vice  President,  who  will  rise.  -The  Orator  will  sig- 
nal and  then  say)  : 

Orator:  "Respected  Vice  President,  this  Wayfarer, 
who  was  lately  introduced  to  our  worthy  President,  has 
given  the  promise  of  secrecy  and  has  heen  greeted  as  a 
Friend.  With  the  charge  of  our  President  fresh  in  his 
mind,  he  comes  to  you  that  with  your  aid  he  may  far- 
ther advance  on  his  way." 

Vice  President :  "Friend,  you  are  indeed  welcome  to 
this,  the  home  of  our  loved  Order 

" As  you  entered  this  hall,  you  observed  in  the 

center  of  the  room  certain  emblems,  some  of  which  are 
familiar  to  you.  These  objects  we  have  adopted  as  sym- 
bols, and  each  is  an  embodiment  of  one  of  our  funda- 
mental principles.  Each  Companion  when  entering  the 
Forum  must  advance  to  the  Altar  and  turn,  facing  the 
Vice  President  who  occupies  this  station,  and  give  to 
him  the  Forum  Signal,  made  thus  (gives  the  signal). 
Having  been  recognized  by  the  same  signal,  he  may  then 
retire  to  a  seat  anywhere  in  the  Forum.  Our  Orator, 
who  has  faithfully  guided  you  thus  far,  will  now  intro- 
duce you  to  the  Historian.  Salute  him  with  the  Forum 
signal  and  present  him  with  this  emblem  (giving  him 
the  Fasces),  and  he  will  interpret  for  you  its  hidden 
meaning." 

(The  Orator  will  proceed  with  the  candidate  to  the 
Historian,  signal  and  say)  : 

Orator:  "Venerable  Historian,  this  Companion  has 
just  entered  our  Home  and  been  welcomed  at  our  fire- 
side. What  lessons  of  wisdom  have  you  culled  from 
ancient  lore,  that  you  may  now  impart  to  him  ?" 

(The  candidate  will  then  give  the  Forum  signal  and 


255 

tender  to  the  Historian  the  Fasces,  which  he  will  accept, 
and  then  say)  : 

Historian :  "As  you  come  bearing  to  me  this  emblem, 
you  are  thrice  welcome.  I  greet  you  as  a  Companion, 
and  will  unfold  to  you  the  hidden  meaning  bound  up  in 
this  Fasces.  The  pages  of  history  (opening  the  Bible) 
tell  of  nations  of  old  from  whom  we,  even  in  this  twen- 
ticth  century,  may  learn  wisdom.  The  massive  archi- 
tecture of  the  Pharaohs,  the  Proverbs  of  Solomon,  the 
esthetic  culture  of  the  Athenians,  and  the  legislation  of 
Home,  alike  excite  our  wonder  and  challenge  our  ad- 
miration. The  artist  who  skillfully  wrought  the  Parian 
marble  has  passed  away,  but  the  statue  remains,  a 
monument  to  his  genius.  The  voices  of  the  orator  and 
the  poet  are  stilled,  but  history  has  recorded  their  great- 
ness on  enduring  tablets.  Among  these  nations  of  an- 
tiquity, none  has  bequeathed  to  us  a  more  perfect  system 
of  legislation  than  Koine.  In  the  name  of  our  Order, 
and  in  this  Fasces,  we  revive  the  memory  of  the  ancient 
Roman  Forum.  In  the  Forum  the  citizens  assembled 
and  discussed  political  affairs.  Here  the  Tribunes, 
elected  by  the  people — the  House  of  Eepresentatives  of 
that  early  day — met  and  enacted  laws  for  their  govern- 
ment. Here  Cato  and  Cicero,  Hortensius  and  Caesar 
poured  out  their  eloquence.  Here  were  held  the  Courts 
of  Justice,  plaintiff  and  defendant  arguing  their  causes 
in  the  light  of  day.  Here  were  suspended  the  laws  of 
the  Twelve  Tablets  that  he  who  run  may  read.  When 
the  Justice  entered  the  Forum  to  administer  the  law, 
he  was  preceded  by  a  lictor  bearing  upright  thus  (illus- 
trating) the  Fasces,  as  an  Emblem  of  Authority.  The 
keen  blade  of  the  axe  symbolized  the  majesty  of  the  law, 


256 

the  bundle  of  rods,  its  power  when  firmly  held  together. 
When  the  Justice  took  his  seat,  the  lictor  inclined  the 
Fasces  thus  (indicating),  thereby  acknowledging  the 
sovereignty  of  the  people.  We  have  adopted  this  em- 
blem, and  in  the  hands  of  our  President  and  Vice  Presi- 
dent, it  signifies  a  ruling  power  which  must  be  respected. 
Every  Companion  here  has  had  a  voice  in  framing  our 
laws  and  in  electing  our  officers;  therefore  the  will  of 
the  people  sustains  this  Emblem  of  Union  and  Power." 


CHAPTEE  XXXIX. 

THE  ELKS. 

The  Elks  are  a  secret  society  with  a  ritual  prescribing 
prayers  at  the  opening  and  closing  of  the  meetings;  an 
oath  of  secrecy  and  the  usual  performances  at  initia- 
tion. Their  annual  Lodge  of  Sorrow  for  the  dead  is  held 
on  the  first  Sunday  in  December.  This,  too,  is  of  a  re- 
ligious character ;  candles  are  burned  upon  an  altar,  in- 
cense is  used,  and  a  discourse  of  a  religious  nature  is 
delivered.  The  name  is  said  to  have  been  taken 
from  the  description  of  the  Elk  in  "Buffon's 
Natural  Histor}',"  where  the  animal  is  described  as 
"fleet  of  foot,  and  timorous  of  doing  wrong,  avoiding  all 
combats  except  in  fighting  for  the  female  and  in  defense 
of  the  young  and  helpless  weak." 


CHAPTER  XL. 

ROYAL  AECANUM. 

This  secret  society  was  founded  by  members  of  the 
Masonic  Order  and  prominent  people  in  and  around 
Boston  in  1877,  and  incorporated  as  the  Supreme  Coun- 
cil of  the  Royal  Arcanum  under  the  laws  of  the  State 
of  Massachusetts.  The  Order  succeeds  in  keeping  its 
Royal  Secrets,  but  by  accidental  circumstances  I  have  a 
copy  of  the  ritual,  and  I  will  quote  from  it  to  show  the 
religious  character  of  this  Order.  A  large  number  of 
the  Order  claim  to  belong  to  the  Catholic  Church.  Its 
chief  emblem  is  a  royal  crown  within  a  circle,  on  the 
circumference  of  which  are  ten  small  maltese  crosses 
without  notches.  Among  the  objects  of  the  Order  we 
read:  "To  educate  its  members  socially,  morally  and 
intellectually."  In  the  by-laws  we  read  that  "Frater- 
nal orders  are  a  national  blessing.  They  promote  thrift, 
economy,  sobriety,  without  freezing  the  soul  into  selfish- 
ness, as  is  apt  to  be  the  case  in  the  usual  struggle  for 
wealth  or  high  social  position.  They  bring  men  into 
closer  social  relations  and  cherish  those  feelings  that 
thrive  and  put  forth  blossoms  in  each  other's  welfare. 
They  make  men  thoughtful  and  help'ful,  expanding  the 
sentiments  of  Virtue,  Mercy  and  Charity.  They  teach 
us  the  religion  that  breaks  bread  to  the  hungry,  gives  a 
cup  of  water  to  the  thirsty,  watches  at  the  bed  of  the 
sick,  visits  the  imprisoned,  the  fatherless,  and  the  wid- 


259 

owed,  duties  that  are  sadly  neglected,  and  for  a  long 
time  were  supposed  to  be  confined  to  the  church." 

On  page  1  of  the  Book  of  Duties,  as  corrected  January 
1,  1898  (Eitual),  we  read:  Sec.  601.  "The  Book  of 
Duties  must  be  adhered  to  in  all  respects,  unless  special 
authority  to  use  substitutes  for  portions  thereof  is  grant- 
ed by  the  Supreme  Council  or  the  Supreme  Regent." 

On  page  2:  "Any  initiatory  ceremony  not  provided 
for  in  the  Book  of  Duties  is  strictly  prohibited,  except 
in  cases  where  the  Supreme  Eegent  shall,  by  dispensa- 
tion, authorize  definite  changes  in  Part  II.,  etc." 

From  page  5 :  "There  are  ten  stations  in  a  Council 
Chamber,  corresponding  to  the  ten  points  upon  the 
crown,  the  emblem  of  the  Eoyal  Arcanum.  The  elev- 
enth station,  at  the  entrance  of  the  room,  is  known  as 
the  'Altar  or  Secret  Station.'  This  shall  be  of  such 
dimensions  as  shall  be  necessary  for  the  proper  exempli- 
fication of  the  degree;  it  shall  have  a  hinged  cover  pro- 
vided with  a  secure  lock,  having  three  keys,  one  of  which 
shall  be  in  the  keeping  of  the  Eegent,  one  in  that  of  the 

Vice-Eegent,  and  the  third  in  that  of  the  Guide 

The  interior  of  the  Station shall  be  of  sufficient 

depth  to  hold  the  Protective  Badge,  the  Eoyal  Secret, 
the  Jewels,  the  Sash,  the  Books  of  Duties;  and  these 
must  be  kept  therein  when  the  Council  is  not  occupied 
with  its  duties. 

"The  Protective  Badge  is  a  tablet  of  metal,  on  which 
shall  be  distinctly  engraved  the  letters  Y.  M.  C. 

"The  Eoyal  Secret  is  a  tablet  of  metal,  on  which,  in 
distinct  figures,  shall  be  the  mystical  number.  This 
shall  always  remain  in  the  Secret  Station  or  Cabinet, 


260 

except  for  the  brief  period  when  used  in  conferring  the 
Degree. 

"The  V-shaped  screen  and  its  furniture:  A  folding 
screen  of  two  wings,  white  on  both  sides.  Each  wing 
six  feet  three  inches  in  height,  and  three  feet  ten  inches 
wide;  a  white  stand,  tripod  or  bracket  and  a  basin 
fitting  it. 

"The  'M'  screen  and  its  furniture :  A  folding  screen 
with  four  wings  all  light  blue.  Two  inner  wings  six 
feet  three  inches  high,  two  feet  ten  inches  wide;  outer 
wings  same  height,  five  feet  wide.  A  knapsack  sixteen 
inches  by  eighteen  inches,  so  made  as  to  be  easily  weight- 
ed with  from  twenty  to  one  hundred  pounds,  and  sup- 
plied with  hooks  (page  6)  of  hoop-iron  to  suspend  it 
from  the  shoulders,  and  with  a  hook  at  the  lower  end  for 
quick  attachment  of  additional  weight  if  desired.  A 
small  table  with  a  decanter  and  one  or  more  glasses. 

"The  Sash :  A  blue  cashmere  sash  without  ends,  four 
inches  wide  and  fifty-six  inches  long  to  top  of  crossing, 
lined  with  cambric,  and  having  a  row  of  half-inch  yellow 
metal  lace  on.  each  edge,  and  a  hook  at  the  hip  for  the 
Protective  Badge. 

"The  Banner  is  to  be  of  fawn-colored  silk,  eighteen  by 
twenty-seven  inches,  cut  swallow-tailed  at  bottom,  and 
trimmed  all  around  with  half-inch  gilt  lace,  and  one 
and  a  quarter-inch  fringe  at  bottom.  'Royal  Arcanum' 
printed  at  top  in  gold,  scarlet  symbol  in  center,  and 
mystic  number  in  gold  at  the  bottom.  Cross  pole  of 
black  walnut  with  gilt  ball  at  ends.  Banner  hung  to 
pole  by  gilt  lace  loops,  and  pole  to  have  cord  and  tassel 
at  each  end  of  cord. 


261 

From  page  9:  ".  .The  Guide,  satisfied  that  all  pres- 
ent are  members  of  the  Royal,  Arcanum,  and  that  the 
Council  chamber  is  prepared  for  duty,  standing  at  altar 
and  facing  it  and  Regent  (shall  say)  :  'Regent,  the 
outer  and  inner  door  are  securely  guarded,  the  secret 
symbol  is  properly  displayed,  the  officers  are  at  their 
stations,  properly  clothed,  and  all  present  are  entitled  to 
sit  with  us/  }'  (Guide  will  then  occupy  his  station.) 

Regent:  "Brothers,  let  us  now  assemble  around  the 
altar."  (Then  shall  all  except  the  Warden  and  the  Sen- 
try, form  in  a  circle  about  the  altar.  The  four  principal 
officers  shall  stand  inside  the  circle,  facing  the  altar, 
with  their  backs  towards  their  respective  stations.)  All 
except  the  Chaplain  give  the  sign  of  the  Order,  and  re- 
main so  during  prayer. 

(Chaplain  inside  the  circle  near  the  altar  and  facing 
it  and  Regent)  : 

"Our  Father,  who  art  in  heaven,  as  we  assemble 
around  this  altar,  we  humbly  ask  Thine  aid  in  perform- 
ing the  duties  of  this  hour.  As  members  of  this  benefi- 
cent Order,  with  a  due  sense  of  our  responsibility,  may 
we  do  to  others  as  we  would  have  them  do  to  us,  by  prac- 
ticing Virtue  ourselves,  by  showing  Mercy  to  others,  and 
by  exercising  Charity  for  all.  Amen." 

All:     "Amen." 

Regent :     "Give  the  sign."     All  do  so. 

(Page  10.)  Regent:  "The  governing  principles  of 
the  Royal  Arcanum  are :" 

All:    "Virtue,  Mercy,  Charity." 

Regent:     "And  the  greatest  of  these  is  Charity.5* 

Past  Regent:  "May  Virtue  lead,  Mercy  guide,  and 
Charity  control  us  in  every  thought,  word  and  action." 


262 


Here  may  be  sung  the  Opening  Ode. 
Tune,  "Kock  of  Age^." 

"Band  of  Brothers,  let  us  be 

Bound  by  cords  of  Charity, 

Mercy  lend  us  from   above, 

Olive  branch  of  peace;  O  love, 

Plant  in  all  these  hearts  of  ours, 
Virtue's  ever  blooming  flowers. 

"Friendship  spread  they  sheltering  wing; 

Let  the  social  joys  that  spring 
From  our  Council  meetings  start, 

.Quicker  pulls  through  the  heart, 
May  we  by  our  work  be  brought 

Up  to  higher  realms  of  thought. 

"By  the  wisdom  of  these  plans, 
By  the  joining  of  our  hands, 

Hope's  strong  anchor  here  is  laid 
In  unselfish  votes  we  made, 

That  our  loved  ones  when  we  fall 

Share  the  fostering  care  of  all." 


PA.P.T  I  OF  THE  MYSTERIES. 
(From  page  13,  ff.  of  the  Book  of  Duties.) 

Eegent:     "Guide,  are  there  applicants  in  waiting?" 

Guide:  "I  find  in  waiting  Mr.  -  — ,  who  de- 

sires membership  in  our  Order  and  instruction  in  the 
Mysteries." 

Kegent:  "Have  more  than  sixty  days  elapsed  since 
the  date  of  approval  of  the  applicant's  medical  examina- 
tion?" 

(Secretary  refers  to  the  papers  and  answers  Yes  or 
No.  If  the  answer  is  Yes,  the  applicant  must  be  re- 
examined  and  approved  before  he  can  receive  the  De- 
gree.) 

Regent:  "Brothers,  we  are  about  to  receive  another 
tiM-mber  into  our  circle.  Let  the  ceremony  of  initiation 


263 

be  conducted  in  an  orderly  and  dignified  manner.  The 
Past  Eegent  and  the  Collector  will  now  retire,  examine 
the  applicant  and  qualify  him  for  admission  to  the 
Council." 

(The  Past  Eegent,  Collector  and  Guide  rise  at  their 
stations.  Guide  receives  from  the  Secretary  the  applica- 
tion. Then  the  three  advance  in  parallel  lines  to  the 
altar,  all  reaching  it  at  the  same  time.  Guide  delivers 
the  application  to  the  Past  Eegent.  Eegent  gives  three 
raps  with  the  gavel,  all  remain  standing  until  the  Past 
Eegent  and  the  Collector  have  saluted,  and  led  by  the 
Past  Eegent,  have  retired  and  the  door  has  been  closed.) 

Eegent  gives  two  raps  and  may  declare  a  recess  until 
the  return  of  the  Past  Eegent  and  Collector. 

(In  the  ante-room  the  Past  Eegent  shall  see  that  the 
application,  the  Medical  Examiner's  inquiries,  and  the 
obligation  are  properly  signed  by  the  applicant  and  duly 
certified.) 

Past  Eegent:     "Friend,  are  these  your  signatures?" 

(The  applicant  must  acknowledge  them  to  be  such.) 

Past  Eegent:  "Have  you  made  the  statement  in  the 
application  and  answered  the  questions  in  this  medical 
examination  truthfully  and  without  reservation  ?"  (The 
applicant  must  answer  in  the  affirmative.) 

Past  Eegent :  "Do  you  still  desire  to  secure  the  bene- 
fits and  privileges  of  the  Eoyal  Arcanum,  and  to  be  in- 
structed in  the  Mysteries  of  the  Order?"  (The  appli- 
cant must  reply  in  the  affirmative.) 

Collector:  "Our  rules  prescribe  that  the  applicant 
shall  now  pay  one  assessment  in  advance,  and  the  dues 
for  the  current  quarter,  all  of  which  amount  to  $ " 


2(14 

(The  Collector,  after  receiving  the  amount  stated, 
shall  give  a  receipt  therefor.) 

Past  Regent :  "Await,  my  friend,  the  coming  of  one 
who  will  guide  you  through  the  Mysteries." 

(Past  Eegent  gives  XX-XX-X.) 

Regent:  "Warden,  wha.t  alarm  is  that  at  the  inner 
door?" 

Warden  (having  opened  the  wicket) :    "Who  knocks  ?" 

Past  Regent:     "The  returning  officers/' 

Regent :     "Admit  them." 

(The  Past  Regent  and  the  Collector  shall  then  enter, 
the  door  heing  closed  after  them,  and  advance  to  the 
altar  (the  P.  R.  preceding  Col.)  and  salute.  The  Guide 
shall  proceed  to  the  altar  and  reach  it  simultaneously 
with  P.  R.  and  Col.). 

Past  Regent :  "Regent,  the  way  is  clear  for  Mr 

to  be  instructed  in  the  Mysteries  of  this  Order." 

(P.  R.  hands  application  with  his  left  hand  to  G.,  who 
receives  it  with  his  right  hand.) 

Regent:     "Resume  your  stations." 

(P.  R.  and  Guide  face  to  the  left  and  C  to  the  right. 
C.  moves  to  a  position  at  end  of  altar  opposite  G.,  and 
then  all  three  leave  altar  simultaneously,  C.  and  G.  on 
parallel  lines,  and  resume  stations;  G.  returns  applica- 
tion to  Sec.  Then  Regent) : 

Regent :  "Guide,  you  will  now  retire,  prepare  the  ap- 
plicant, conduct  him  to  the  threshold  of  this  Council 
Chamber,  and  thence  as  you  are  bidden." 

(If  more  than  one  applicant,  R.  should  appoint  Assist. 
G.  to  accompany  each  of  the  others  in  Part  I.) 

(Guide  retires  to  the  ante-room,  and  then  advances  to 


2»is> 

the  inner  door  with  the  applicant  or  applicants,  hood- 
winked, and  gives  XX-XX-X.) 

Warden  (opening  the  door  slightly)  :    "Who  knocks  ?" 

Guide:    "A  friend." 

Warden:    "Vice  "Regent,  a  friend  awaits  without." 

ViceEegent:    M Admit  him/' 

(Guide  enters  with  applicant  or  applicants,  the  door 
being  closed  behind  them.  Guide- leaves  applicant  at 
the  threshold — each  Asst.  G.  remains  with  his  appli- 
cant— and  advances  to  the  altar  alone,  under  sign  of 
Duty.) 

Guide:  "Regent,  a  stranger  stands  upon  the  thresh- 
old of  our  secret  Councel  Chamber/' 

Regent :     "Who  is  the  stranger  ?" 

Guide :     "One  who  is  a  friend  and  would  be  more." 

Regent :     "What  are  his  desires  ?" 

Guide :  "To  know,  for  himself,  the  Mysteries  of  the 
Royal  Arcanum,  and  to  secure  for  those  dear  to  him,  the 
benefits  which  our  Order  bestows." 

Regent:     "Let  the  friend  advance." 

(Guide  returns  to  applicant  and  leads  him  to  the 
altar.  When  all  applicants  stand  at  altar,  each  Asst.  G. 
steps  to  the  rear  of  the  one  he  conducts,  the  G.  at  left 
of  line  and  applicants.) 

Regent:  "Friend,  thus  far  you  have  chosen  well,  but 
you  are  as  yet  unacquainted  with  your  duties  and  your 
privileges.  Listen  attentively  to  words  which  will  en- 
lighten you." 

Chaplain  (advancing  to  the  altar,  facing  applicant)  : 
"Our  Order  requires  that  you  should  now  give  a  solemn 
promise.  Withholding  it,  you  can  go  no  farther.  I  as- 
sure you  that  this  promise  will  not  conflict  with  either 


your  religious  belief  or  your  duties  as  a  eiti/en.  Are 
you  willing  to  proceed  ?" 

(The  applicant  must  reply  in  the  affirmative.) 

Eegent:  "Guide,  place  the  applicant  in  position  to 
receive  the  Obligation."  (o  o  o.) 

(The  Council  may  require  the  applicant  to  repeat  the 
Obligation,  or  give  his  assent  thereto  after  it  has  been 
read  to  him.) 

(The  guide  shall  instruct  applicant  as  to  his  position; 
each  Asst.  G.  places  his  applicant  in  position  to  receive 
the  Obligation,  and  at  proper  time  relieves  him  of  that 
position,  etc.) 

Chaplain :  "Friend  you  will  now  give  your  attention 
while  I  read  the  Obligation  of  this  Order : 

"In  the  presence  of  Almighty  God  and  these  witnesses, 
I  do,  of  my  own  free  will  and  accord,  most  solemnly 
promise  that  I  will  strictly  comply  with  all  laws,  rules 
and  usages  of  this  Fraternity,  established  by  the  Su- 
preme Council  of  the  Tioyal  Arcanum.  I  will  hold  alle- 
giance to  said  Supreme  Council  and  be  loyal  thereunto, 
as  the  supreme  authority  of  the  entire  order.  I  will 
obey  all  orders  emanating  from  the  Supreme  or  Grand 
Councils  or  from  the  Subordinate  Council,  of  which 
I  am  a  member,  so  long  as  they  do  not  conflict  with  my 
civil  or  religious  liberty.  I  will  not  defraud  or  wronu 
any  department  of  this  order,  or  any  member  thereof,  or 
suffer  it  to  be  done  by.  others,  if  it  be  in  my  power  to  pre- 
vent, I  will  never  introduce  anything  of  a  political  or 
sectarian  character  at  any  meeting  of,  or  in  any  way 
bearing  reproach  upon,  this  Order.  I  will  keep  forever 
secret  all  that  may  transpire  during  my  initiation  and 
will  never  improperly  communicate  to  any  person  any 


267 

of  the  words,  signs  or  tokens,  and  should  I  be  expelled 
or  leave  the  Order,  I  will  consider  this  Obligation  as 
binding  out  of  it.  as  it  is  in  it.  I  will  assist  a  distressed 
brother  or  his  family  when  in  distress,  as  far  as  is  in 
my  power,  without  material  injury  to  myself  or  family. 
I  will  answer  all  proper  signs  of  the  fraternity  and  us;' 
all  proper  means  to  protect  a  brother  from  defamation. 

"And  should  I  violate  this,  my  solemn  promise,  I 
hereby  consent  to  be  expelled  from  the  Fraternity,  and 
may  God  aid  me  to  keep  and  perform  all  of  these  obli- 
gations. 

"My  Friend,  you  have  heard  this  solemn  obligation. 
Do  you,  in  the  presence  of  the  officers  and  the  members 
of  this  Council,  promise  faithfully  to  abide  by  it  ?"' 

(The  Applicant  must  answer  in  the  affirmative,  after 
which  the  Guide  quietly  relieves  him  from  the  position 
he  had  assumed  while  taking  the  Obligation.) 

Eegent:  "Friend,  you  will  now  retire  with  the  Guide 
to  the  ante-room,  whence  you  will  soon  return,  to  have 
thrown  open  to  you  the  portals  of  the  Royal  Secret." 

(Guide  retires  with  applicant  to  the  ante-room,  re- 
moves the  hoodwink,  and  there  prepares  him  by  placing 
upon  him  the  sash,  resting  upon  the  right  shoulder  and 
passing  across  the  body  and  under  the  left  arm,  and  by 
baring  his  right  arm  for  an  inch  or  two  above  the  wrist. ) 

(As  soon  as  applicant  has  retired,  and  Eegent  o,  then 
V.  E.  and  C.  rise  at  their  stations  simultaneously,  ad- 
vance to  the  altar,  give  sign  of  Duty,  and  proceed,  V.  E. 
receding,  to  perform  their  Duty,  and  after  it  is  fin- 
ished they  return  to  altar  in  the  same  order,  give  sign 
of  Duty,  and  then  resume  their  stations.) 


2<;s 

PART  IT.   OF  THE  MYSTERIES. 
(Prom  page  19  ft.  of  the  Book  of  Duties.) 

Vice  Regent :  "Regent,  the  Council  Chamber  is  ready 
for  the  reception  of  the  applicant/' 

Regent:     "Admit  him." 

(If  more  than  one  applicant,  all  except  one  previously 
selected  by  R.  and  by  him  named  to  GL  may  be,  in  single 
file,  and  slowly,  with  accompaniment  of  music,  if  prac- 
ticable, conducted  by  G.  past  V-screen,  then  between  it 
and  M-screen,  so  each  may  see  the  contents  of  both 
screens  and  then  seated  apart  from  members  of  Council, 
in  front  of  either  stations  of  the  P.  R.  or  C.,  and  so 
remain  until  the  other  applicant  has  duly  passed  through 
the  Courts  of  V.  and  M.  and  the  inner  Court,  to  the 
point  designated  for  the  removal  of  Sash,  and  then  all 
applicants  being  placed  at  altar,  proceed  in  due  form. 
The  foregoing  instructions  does  not  prohibit  a  Council 
from  conducting  more  than  one  applicant  through  the 
entire  ceremony.  When  the  applicant  who  is  now  to 
receive  the  full  Degree,  is  seated,  the  Regent  will  say:) 

"A  few  words  to  the  friend  (or  friends)  who  has  (or 
have)  been  seated  in  our  midst,  in  explanation  of  his 
(or  their)  position  would  be  well  at  this  moment.  You 
have  readily  assented  to  the  obligation  of  the  Royal 
Arcanum  as  rehearsed  by  our  Chaplain,  and  the  cere- 
monies you  are  about  to  witness  consist  of  conferring 
the  full  degree  of  the  Royal  Arcanum.  Our  laws  pro- 
vide that  when  two  or  more  persons  are  to  be  initiated, 
all  candidates  except  one  previously  chosen,  may  be  con- 
ducted to  seats  in  our  Council  Chamber,  affording  a 
full  view  of  the  exemplification  of  our  ritualistic  work 


368 

upon  the  remaining  applicant.  It  will  be  your  duty  to 
pay  strict  attention  to  these  proceedings  and  to  apply 
to  yourself  the  great  principles  and  attributes  of  the 
Eoyal  Arcanum,  as  if  the  full  Degree  had  been  con- 
ferred upon  you  personally." 

(The  Warden  gives  XX-XX-X  answered  by  the  Guide 
in  the  same  manner.  Guide  enters  with  applicant  hood- 
winked, and  places  him  on  the  V-screen  facing  the  cen- 
ter.) 

Guide:     "The  applicant  is  waiting." 

Guide  raises  hoodwink  so  thnt  applicant  can  see  what 
is  before  him. 

Vice  Regent:  "Friend,  you  stand  within  the  outer 
Court  of  the  Eoyal  Secret.  It  is  constructed  to  repre- 
sent the  initial  letter,  or  sign,  of  the  first  of  the  three 
great  principles  of  the  Eoyal  Arcanum,  Virtue.  It  is 
hung  in  white,  indicating  that  the  first  step  into  the 
Mysteries  should  be  one  of  purity. 

"Virtue  in  this  Order,  however,  means  more  than  this. 
!(•  stands  for  purity  of  soul  and  for  a  courage  not  to  be 
daunted.  Your  right  arm  is  bared,  indicating  a  readi- 
ness to  receive  the  benefits  and  favors  of  the  Order.  You 
see  water  before  you.  Bathe  your  hand  in  it  to  signify 
that  you  wash  yourself  from  the  impurities  of  the  outer 
world." 

(Prompted  by  Guide,  if  necessary,  the  applicant  must 
immerse  his  right  hand  in  the  water.) 

Guide:     "The  applicant  has  obeyed." 

(Guide  again  hoodwinks  Applicant.) 

Vice  Regent :  "As  one  about  to  enter  upon  a  difficult 
journey,  in  pursuit  of  important  benefits,  invites  success 
by  careful  preparation,  so  have  you,  by  this  rite,  been 


270 

prepared  to  advance  with  pure  hands  towards  the  inner 
Court,  there  to  win  the  mystic  emblem  and  the  privi- 
leges which  our  Order  confers." 

(Here  the  Guide  shall  suspend  from  the  Sash,  under 
the  Applicant's  left  arm,  the  Protective  Badge.) 

(Here  may  be  sung  o  o  o  after  the  air  "Auld  Lang 
Syne.") 

"How  sweet  the  thought  that  Virtue  Dwells 

In  eveiy  human  breast, 
That  God  sends  forth  to  mortal  world 

To  make  his  children  blest. 
Then  brothers,  strive  through  life  to  keep 

That  spark  alive  and  bright, 
That  it  may  burn  till  heaven's  own  flame 

Shall  make  our  pathway  light." 

liegent:  "Friend,  heaving  been  obedient  to  the  in- 
structions of  the  outer  Court,  you  are  entitled  to  be  called 
a  Brother  in  Virtue,  and  have  earned  the  right  to  pro- 
ceed." 

Members  (in  union,  led  by  the  Past  Eegent)  :  "Brother 
in  Virtue,  in  all  your  relations  to  our  Order,  may  you 
prove  this  title  worthily  I  >< si  owed." 

(While  the  members  thus  speak,  the  Guide  shall  lead 
the  applicant  into  the  M-screen,  in  which — N — Guide 
removes  hoodwink  as  soon  as  applicant  is  in  the  M- 
screen.) 

Guide:     "The  applicant  <iamis  in  the  second  Court." 

Regent :  "Brother  in  Virtue,  you  are  now  advanced 
to  the  second  Court  of  the  Eoyal  Arcanum,  and  stand  be- 
fore the  second  symbol  of  the  Order.  In  its  form,  it 
represents  the  initial  letter  of  the  second  great  principle 
of  our  Order,  Mercy.  Its  color  is  blue,  signifying  thai- 
Mercy  is  an  attribute  of  heaven  itself.  It  is  a  double 
Court,  showing  that  which  it  represents  twice  blessed; 


271 

blessing  him  that  gives  and  him  that  takes.  You  stand 
at  its  central  point,  which  suggests  that  the  quality  sym- 
bolized is  an  attribute  of  the  heart,  the  source  of  all 
noble  actions.  To  pass  tins  Court  a  test  is  required. 
Listen  to  further  instruct  ion,-." 

Orator:  "Life  is  like  the  double  Court  in  which  you 
stand.  There  are  always  two  paths  lying  before  you, 
only  one  of  which  you  can  pursue.  In  the  one  you  help 
mercifully  to  lift  from  your  brother  and  those  dear  to 
him,,  the  burdens.,  sorrows  and  responsibilities  which  may 
rest  heavily  upon  him,  in  the  other,  you  increase  the  bur- 
dens of  life,  and  bring  to  home  and  friends  a  sorrow 
which  neither  regrets  nor  remorse  can  ever  remove.  You 
now  have  the  opportunity  of  proving  yourself  merciful, 
and  thus  worthy  of  companionship  in  the  Eoyal  Ar- 
canum. Of  the  two  courts  before  you,  enter  either,  as 
you  may  select.  :\Iav  the  promptings  of  your  heart  he 
merciful  and  wisely  direct  your  choice,  that  no  obstacle 
may  bar  your  progress  through  the  second  work  of  tin: 


(If  applicant  hesitates,  the  Guide  quietly  directs  him 
to  remove  the  burden  from  k-g  brother,  and  assists  him 
to  assume  it.) 

Guide  :     "He  has  lifted  the  burden/'5 

Regent:  "Brother,  you  have  well  borne  this  test. 
You  have  been  taught  concerning  the  burdens  and 
responsibilities  which  our  Order  bravely  and  mercifully 
carries,  and  which  you  must  help  to  bear.  They  are 
symbolized  by  the  burden  which  you  have  just  assumed. 
Without  assistance  all  our  burdens  are  heavy  and  grie- 
vous, as  you  find  this,  yet  with  a  strong  heart  and  with 
brotherly  sympathy  and  help,  they  become  light  and  are 


272 

easily  borne.  Having  shown  yourself  worthy,  you 
are  entitled  to  stand  within  the  inner  court,  and  to  ad- 
vance towards  the  Mysteries  of  the  Eoyal  Secret." 

(The  guide  011  the  left  of  the  applicant  shall  then 
lead  him  bearing  the  burden,  from  the  M-screen  past  the 
Orator  around  the  Council  room  to  the  altar,  while  Guide- 
repeats:) 

Guide :  "Mercy  moves  around  the  desolate  homes  of 
men,  amidst  the  poor  and  neglected,  and  angel  whose 
wings  are  bright  with  hues  of  paradise.  Its  trophies  are 
immortal,,  they  will  live  when  the  weapons  of  victorious 
battle  have  been  broken,  and  the  sound,  of  the  poet's  lyre 
is  hushed  forever.  When  green  wreaths  have  faded,  when 
the  glorious  monuments  of  human  skill  have  perished 
and  when  the  stars  themselves  have  ceased  to  burn,  they 
will  be  remembered  among  the  jewels  in  heaven." 

(K~g  brother  emerges  from  M-screen,  and  standing 
in  front  of  the  Past  Regent,  or  Orator  says :) 

"Regent,  when  a  weary,  way-worn  traveller,  I  sank  ex- 
hausted beneath  my  heavy  load,  this  Brother  in  Virtue 
mercifully  relieved  me  of  my  burden,  and  has  nobly 
borne  it.  "Brothers,  extend  to  him  that  Mercy  which  he 
has  so  freely  shown  to  me.'' 

Regent  and  Council :  "Blessed  are  the  merciful,  for 
they  shall  obtain  mercy." 

Regent:     "Guide,  remove  the  burden." 

(Here  may  be  sung  o  o  o :) 

"As  we  bespeak  God's  Mercy,  may 

We  ever  Mercy  show, 
To  cheer  a  brother's  saddened  heart, 

Crushed  by  its  weight  of  woe. 
For  who  can  tell  what  he  may  need 

Upon  this  changeful  earth? 
Be  merciful  to  a  friend  and  foe, 

And  thus  prove  human  worth." 


273 

Regent:  "Brother  in  Virtue  having  safely,  accom- 
plished the  journey  through  the  second  court,  you  are  en- 
titled to  be  called  a  Brother  in  Mercy." 

Members  (in  union  led  by  Past  Eegent)  :  "Brother 
in  Mercy,  in  all  relations  to  our  Order  may  you  prove 
this  title  to  be  worthily  bestowed." 

Regent:  "Brother  in  Virtue  and  Mercy,  you  now 
stand  within  the  inner  court,  at  the  center  of  our  mystic 
circle.  One  step  more  and  the  lest  obstacle  will  be  re- 
moved from  your  pathway.  You  have  successfully 
passed  the  ordeals  thus  far  presented,  you  have  been  puri- 
fied in  Virtue's  court,  you  have  shown  b}r  a  wise  choice 
that  Mercy  dwells  in  your  heart,  and  you  have  received 
with  attention  all  our  instructions.  My  brother,  the 
altar  before  you  is  the  symbol  of  the  third  and  great  un- 
derlying principle  of  our  Order — Charity.  This  is  the 
source  and  origin,  the  purpose  and  end  of  this  fraternity. 
This  symbol  teaches  the  duty  of  self-sacrifice,  -the  sur- 
render of  our  own  pleasure  and  enjoyment,  and  the 
charitable  offering  of  our  possessions,  our  service,  and  our 
sympathy  for  our  brethren  when  in  need.  Within  the 
sacred  recesses  of  this  altar  are  concealed  the  Royal 
Secret.  Before  you  can  become  with  us  a  Brother  in 
Charity,  you  must  discover  this  Secret,  and  learn  its 
mystic  meaning.  Search  and  find  it." 

(The  applicant,  prompted  by  the  Guide,  must  raise 
the  cover  and  take  out  the  tablet.  The  Guide  closes 
the  cover.) 

Regent :     "What  have  you  discovered  ?" 

(The  applicant,  prompted  by  the  Guide,  shall  answer: 
"This  Tablet/') 

"What  characters  are  inscribed  thereon  ?" 


274 

(The  applicant,  prompted  by  the  Guide,  shall  answer: 
"— M— v) 

Regent:  " — M — The  Royal  Mystery.  Do  you  find 
the  Key  by  Avhich  this  mystic  number  may  be  read  and 
explained  ?" 

(Applicant  prompted  by  Guide  replies :  "I  find  noth- 
ing more.") 

Eegent :    "Guide,  where  is  the  Key  to  this  Mystery  ?" 

Guide  (raising  the  cover)  :  "Regent,  the  Key  is  not 
within  the  sacred  station." 

Regent — o  o  o — "Brothers,  our  secret  station  has 
been  despoiled  of  the  Key  to  the  Royal  Mystery.  It  is 
the  Protective  Badge  of  this  Order,  and  without  it  the 
mystic  number  can  not  be  explained  to  this  applicant. 
Guide,  you  are  responsible  for  the  safe-keeping  of  the 
Mysteries.  Seek  and  find  the  Key,  that  this  Brother  in 
Virtue  and  Mercy  may  become  also,  with  us,  a  Brother 
in  Charity." 

(Guide,  taking  the  tablet  and  assuming  his  station  in 
the  Council:) 

Guide:  "Brother?,  lias  any  one  of  you  got  the  Key  to 
the  Mystery?" 

Chaplain :  "Regent.  I  can  find  the  Key  to  our  Mystic 
number." 

Regent:  "Brothers,  be  seated.  Guide  repair  to  the 
altar.  Chaplain  you  will  obtain  the  Key,  and  explain 
the  use  to  the  applicant." 

(If  there  is  more  than  one  candidate,  the  Asst.  Guides 
should  at  this  point  request  those  seated  to  rise,  and 
should  conduct  them  to  the  altar,  ranging- them  in  line 
with  the  candidate  already  there,  so  that  all  may  face 
the  Chaplain  and  hear  and  understand  the  explanation. 


275 

Chaplain  advances  to  altar,  passes  around  its  end  to 
rear  of  candidate,  and  removes  the  badge  from  the  appli- 
cant, not  stealthy,  but  in  such  a  manner  that  all  the 
applicants'  attention  it  attracted,  and  each  can  himself 
witness  the  removal  of-  the  .Key,  and  understand  the 
explanation.  The  Chaplain  then  assumes  a  position  on 
the  opposite  side  of  the  altar,  facing  applicant,  and  hold- 
ing the  hadgc  in  his  right  hand,  and  taking  with  his 
left  hand  the  tablet  from  the  Guide,  thus  holding,  then:) 

Chaplain:  "Brother,  this  is  the  Key  to  the  mystic 
number.  It  is  the  Protective  Badge  of  the  Order. 
While  you  lawfully  wear  this  badge,  you  are  entitled  to 
the  benefits  and  honors  of  the  Eoyal  Arcanum.  Some 
brother  took  this  badge  from  its  secret  station,  and 
placed  it  on  your  person,  to  secure  for  you  its  protec- 
tive influence.  As  soon  as  you  began  to  bear  the  burden 
which  the  Order  imposes,  you  were  unconsciously  placed 
under  its  care  and  became  entitled  to  share  in  all  its 
benefits,  privileges  and  promises.  The  burdens  are  light 
and  the  benefits  come  to  us  in  the  hour  of  greatest  need, 
even  though  we  ourselves  are  unconscious  of  them. 
Cherish,  then,  this  truth  in  your  memory,  that  as  long* 
as  you  help  to  bear  the  burdens  of  the  Order,  you  will 
be  protected  by  its  great  and  important  privileges." 

Eegent:  "Chaplain,  you  will  deposit  at  my  station 
the  mystic  number  and  its  Key." 

(The  Chaplain  will  then  resume  his  station.) 

Eegent :  "Guide,  you  will  present  the  Brother  for  in- 
struction and  investment." 

(Guide  conducts  all  applicants  to  Eegent's  station.) 

Eegent  (holding  the  key  and  mystic  number  before 
applicant)  :  "Brother,  you  see  before  you  the  Eoyal 


•lie, 

Mystery,  the  Koyal  Secret,  the  Eoyal  Arcanum,  the  mys- 
tic number  of  the  Order.  (Regent  placing  Key  on 
station  and  pointing  to  Banner:)  Now,  as  you  are 
in  full  possession  of  the  knowledge  of  the  Royal  Secret, 
I  declare  you  a  Brother  in  Virtue,  Mercy  and  Charity, 
and  invest  you  with  the  regalia,  which  combines  with  the 
mystic  symbol,  our  emblem,  the  crown." 

Members  (in  union  led  by  the  Past  Regent)  :  "May 
you  never  prove  unworthy  of  it." 

(The  sash  will  here  be  removed.    Here  may  be  sung:) 

'"Greatest  of  these  is  Charity.' 

Oh,  learn  this  lesson  well, 
And  oft  forgive  your  fellowman — 

Who  can  his  weakness  tell? 
With  Virtue,  Mercy,  Charity, 

Let  brothers'  hands  be  bound, 
Till  Love's  pure  flame  shall  closely  weld 

Brave  hearts  the  whole  world  around." 

Regent — "I  "will  now  instruct  you  in  the  signs,  signals 
and  passwords.  This  is  the  sign  of  Duty  (A).  It  is 
used  in  the  Council  addressing  the  Eegent,  upon  enter- 
ing or  retiring  from  the  Council,  whenever  you  rise  to 
speak,  and  in  crossing  the  Council  Chamber.  Its  answer 
is  (A),  which  should  always  be  given  in  response  to  a 
member  entering  or  retiring. 

"This  is  the  sign  of  Virtue  (B) ;  this  is  the  sign  of 
Mercy  (C)  ;  this  is  the  sign  of  Charity  and  the  sign  of 
the  Order  (D). 

"In  order  to  enter  a  Council  while  it  is  occupied  with 
its  Duties,  you  will  give  three  raps  on  the  outer  door. 
The  Sentry  will  open  the  wicket.  You  will  then  give 
him  the  Semi-Annual  Password,  which  is  changed  on 
the  first  meeting  in  January  and  July  of  each  year,  and 
must  be  procured  by  you  only  of  the  Regent,  no  other 


277 

person  can  give  it  to  you,  and  he  only  while  you  are  in 
good  standing  in  the  Order.  For  the  present  term  the 
password  is  -  — .  You  will  then  be  admitted  to  the 
ante-room,  where  you  will  clothe  yourself  with  the  proper 
regalia,  advance  to  the  inner,  or  Council  room  door,  and 
give  one  distinct  rap.  The  wicket  will  then  be  opened 
by  the  Warden,  to  whom  you  will  give  your  name,  rank 
in  the  Order,  and  the  name  and  number  of  the  Council 
to  which  you  belong.  This  information  will  be  con- 
veyed to  the  Vice  Regent,  who  will  instruct  the  Warden 
to  admit  you,  if  correct.  You  will  then  give  him  the 

Permanent  Password  of    the  Order,  which  is  . 

This  will  admit  you  to  the  Council  room.  You  will  ad- 
vance to  the  altar,  face  the  Regent  and  give  the  sign  of 
Duty.  After  he  responds,  you  will  be  at  liberty  to  be 
seated.  Shoiild  you  wish  to  retire  during  a  session  of 
the  Council,  you  will  advance  to  the  altar,  give  the  same 
sign,  and  having  been  recognized,  you  will  be  at  liberty 
to  retire. 

"All  movements  of  officers  and  members  on  the  Coun- 
cil room  floor  during  a  session  should  be,  as  far  as  pos- 
sible, on  lines  of  right  angles  with  each  other. 

"In  order  to  make  yourself  known  to  a  brother  outside 
of  the  Council  chamber,  the  signals  and  answers  in 
which  you  have  been  instructed  may  be  used.  Besides 
these,  this  grip  may  be  used  (E),  or  this  word  (F),  its 
answer  being  (G). 

"In  communicating  with  a  brother,  you  are  entitled 
to  use  the  initials  V.  M.  C.  in  signing  your  name.  You 
have  also  the  right  to  the  use  of  the  mystic  number  on 
all  proper  occasions.  It  may  be  used  by  you  in  connec- 
tion with  your  signature,  to  indicate  that  you  are  a  mem- 


278 

ber  of  this  Order,  and  whenever  you  see  this  mystic  num- 
ber in  connection  with  a  signature,  you  know  that  it  has 
reference  to  the  Royal  Arcanum.  The  work,  or  busi- 
ness, done  in  the  Council  is  called  its  Duties.  In  these 
Duties,  one  rap  of  the  gavel  calls  the  Council  to  order  or 
seats  it,  o;  two  raps  call  up  the  officers,  o  o,  and  three 
raps  call  up  the  Council,  o  o  o. 

"Brother  in  Virtue,  Mercy  and  Charity,  I  greet  you 
as  a  member  of  the  Royal  Arcanum,  and  now  present 
you  with  a  copy  of  the  constitution  and  laws  of  the  Or- 
der. It  is  your  duty  to  thoroughly  acquaint  yourself 
with  their  requirements,  that  you  may  know  your  obliga- 
tions and  privileges,  your  rights  and  duties,  as  a  member 
of  the  Order.  Its  welfare  depends  upon  the  prosper]  ty 
of  the  Subordinate  Councils.  Your  duty  is  not  fully  dis- 
charged by  the  payments  of  dues  and  assessments.  You 
should  give  a  reasonable  amount  of  service  to  the  Coun- 
cil by  developing  its  fraternal  and  social  features,  by  at- 
tending its  regular  meetings,  by  inducing  acceptable  per- 
sons to  apply  for  membership,  and  by  discharging  with 
fidelit}r  every  duty  assigned  you,  either  as  officer  or  mem- 
ber. 

"I  will  now  present  you  to  your  brethren  and  request 
that,  as  your  name  is  called,  you  (or  each  of  you),  will 
move  f  orward  one  step,  and  give  the  sign  of  Duty,  in  or- 
der that  the  brethren  may  know  you  by  name." 

(Here  Guide  faces  applicant  towards  altar  and  as  the 
names  are  called  by  Regent,  each  will  move  forward  one 
step,  and  give  the  sign  of  Duty.) 

Regent — "Brothers  of Council,  I  introduce  to 

you  Brother  —  — ,  who  is  now  entitled  to  all  the  ben- 
efits and  priviliges  of  our  beneficent  Order.  You  will 


279 

unite  with  me  in  the  hopes  that,  in  the  enjoyment  of 
them  he  will  remain  faithful  to  his  obligation,  so  that, 
when  the  summons  come  to  him  which  must  come  to  all, 
he  will  pass  awa}r  confident  that  the  protecting  arm  of 
the  Royal  Arcanum  will  shield  those  dear  to  him/' 
(Here  may  be  sung)  : 

"Welcome,  stranger!     Royal  Brother! 

We  fraternally  unite 
Hearts  and  hands  with  cordial  greeting, 

In  our  Council  here  to-night. 
Welcome  to  our  new-made  brother 

Who  has  asked  us  if  we  would 
Add  by  mystic  rites  another 

To  our  Royal  Brotherhood." 

(The  Regent  will  here  declare  a  brief  recess,  during 
which  the  Orator,  Warden  and  Guide  shall  restore  the 
Council  room  to  its  ordinary  condition.  Guide  will  con- 
duct member  just  admitted  to  the  Secretary's  desk,  where 
he  will  sign  the  B.y-Laws  and  examine  his  application  to 
see  that  his  beneficiary  is  properly  named,  in  accordance 
with  the  laws  of  the  Order.) 


CLOSING  THE  DUTIES  OF  THE  COUNCIL. 
(From  page  20,  ff.  of  Book  of  Duties.) 

Regent:  "Brothers,  the  Duties  appointed  for  this 
Council  meeting  are  now  nearly  completed.  Collector, 
what  have  been  the  cash  receipts  since  the  last  meeting?" 

(Collector  will  name  the  amounts, for  the  General 
Fund  and  for  the  W.  and  0.  B.  Fund  separately,  and 
then  the  total  of  both,  which  the  Secretary  will  repeat.) 

Regent :    "The  Secretary  will  so  enter  them  upon  the 


280 

records  of  this  Council.  Has  the  Treasurer  receipted 
therefor  ?" 

Collector :    "He  has." 

Regent:  "The  Secretary  will  so  record  it.  Has  the 
last  assessment  laid  been  forwarded  to  the  Supreme 
Treasurer,  and  has  a  receipt  been  received  therefor?" 

(Treasurer  responds  and  Secretary  records  the  an- 
swer.) 

Regent :  "Has  the  Monthly  Report  been  prepared 
ready  to  be  mailed  to  the  Grand  Secretary  ?"  ( Secretary 
responds.) 

Note — If  not,  the  Regent  should  see  that  this  is  done 
before  closing  the  Council,  as  the  prompt  forwarding 
of  such  a  report  is  important. 

Regent:  "o  o  o  Brothers,  let  us  gather  about  our  al- 
tar." 

(The  same  position  will  be  assumed  in  this  as  in  the 
opening  Duty." 

Regent :    "Brothers,  give  the  signs." 

(All  do  so  led  by  Regent.) 

Chaplain :  "Let  us  pray.  0  God  of  infinite  benevo- 
lence, Thou  art  the  Father  of  all  our  mercies,  and  the 
God  of  all  grace.  In  closing  the  service  of  this  Council, 
we  devoutly  seek  Thy  benediction,  and  ask  Thy  bless- 
ing to  rest  upon  us,  and  as  we  go  forth  to  the  active  du- 
ties and  responsibilities  of  life,  may  it  be  to  fill  the  meas- 
ure of  our  days  with  usefulness,  with  purer  motives, 
brighter  hopes,  and  personal  consciousness  of  the  Divine 
approval.  Amen." 

All:    "Amen." 


281 
(Here  may  be  sung)  : 

CLOSING  ODE. 

Tune,  "Greenville." 

"Brethern  of  our  social  Order, 

Each  his  heart  with  care  inspects; 
Succor  all  within  our  border, 

The  hungry  feed,  the  poor  protect. 
As  you  leave  those  sacred  portals. 

Mingling  with  the  outer  world, 
Raise  the  standard,  bear  it  proudly, 

Let  you  banner  be  unfurled 

"Heaven  guide  us  as  we  journey 

'Mid  the  scenes  of  pain  and  woe, 
May  our  hearts  with  love  and  piety, 

Shower  sun  shine  where  we  go. 
Bless  our  parting,  and  our  slumbers, 

Fill  our  baskets  and  our  store, 
Peace  abound  in  all  our  members, 

Till  we  meet  to  part  no  more." 

Regent  (at  his  station)  :  "Brothers,  —  -  Council, 
No.  — ,  lloyal  Arcanum,  will  next  be  opened  for  Duty 
on  the  —  of  -  — ,  19 — ,  at  —  o'clock.  The  Guide 
will  see  that  the  Boyal  Secret,  Protective  Badge,  Sash, 
Jewels,  and  Book  of  Duties  are  safely  deposited  and  se- 
curely locked  within  the  secret  station.  Brothers,  the 
Duties  of  this  session  are  fully  performed,  and  I  declare 
this  Council  closed"  o. 

THE  FINAL  DUTY — THE  BURIAL  OF  A  BROTHER. 
(From  page  40,  ff.  Book  of  Duties.) 

"Note — The  use  of  the  following  form  of  Final  Duty, 
cr  any  part  of  it,  is  optional  with  each  Subordinate 
Council,  and  other  passages  of  Scripture  may  be  intro- 
duced in  place  of,  or  in  addition  to,  those  quoted  in  the 
ceremony. 


282 

"At  the  funeral  of  a  brother,  his  Council  shall  be  rep- 
resented, if  desirable,  by  seven  members  selected  by  the 
Regent,  six  of  whom  shall  act  as  pall  bearers,  if  desired. 
In  the  number  shall  be  the  Regent,  the  Past  Regent,  and 
the  Chaplain,  or  persons  appointed  to  represent  them. 

"An  emblem  of  immortelles,  ivy  or  laurel  leaves,  or 
evergreen,  in  the  form  of  the  letter  C,  shall  be  provided. 

"In  passing  to  the  grave,  the  ]>;ill  bearers  shall  form 
about  hearse,  the  Regent  at  the  right,  the  Past  Regent 
at  his  left,  and  the  Chaplain  bearing  the  emblem  at  the 
rear.  Should  the  Council  attend  in  a  body,  they  shall 
precede  the  hearse.  After  the  pall  bearers  have  removed 
the  casket  to  the  grave,  they  shall  form  about  in  the 
shape  of  the  letter  V.  the  Chaplain  being  the  apex  at  the 
head. 

Chaplain :  "The  Lord  is  merciful  and  gracious,  slow 
to  anger  and  plenteous  in  mercy. 

"He  will  not  always  chide,  neither  will  He  keep  his 
anger  forever. 

He  hath  not  dealt  with  us  after  our  sins,  nor  re- 
warded us  according  to  our  iniquities. 

"For  as  the  heaven  is  high  above  the  earth,  so  great  is 
His  mercy  toward  them  that  fear  Him. 

"As  far  as  the  east  is  from  the  west,  so  far  hath  He 
removed  our  transgressions  from  us.« 

"Like  as  a  father  pitieth  his  children,  so  the  Lord  pit- 
ieth  them  that  fear  Him. 

"For  He  knoweth  our  frame;  He  remembereth  that 
we  are  dust. 

"As  for  man,  his  days  are  as  grass ;  as  a  flower  of  the 
field,  so  he  flourisheth. 


283 

"For  the  wind  passeth  over  it,  and  it  is  gone ;  and  the 
place  thereof  shall  know  it  no  more. 

"But  the  mercy  of  the  Lord  is  from  everlasting  to  ever- 
lasting upon  them  that  fear  Him. 

"Man  that  is  born  of  woman  is  of  few  days  and  full 
of  trouble. 

"He  cometh  up  like  a  flower  and  is  cut  down;  he  fleeth 
as  a  shadow,  and  continueth  not. 

"Seeing  his  days  are  determined,  the  number  of  his 
months  are  with  Thee.  Thou  hast  appointed  his  bounds 
that  he  cannot  pass. 

"For  I  know  that  my  Redeemer  liveth  and  that  He 
shall  stand  at  the  latter  day  upon  the  earth. 

"And  though  after  my  skin  worms  destroy  this  body, 
yet  in  my  flesh  shall  I  see  God. 

"Whom  I  shall  see  for  myself  and  mine  eyes  shall  be- 
hold, and  not  another.,  though  my  veins  be  consumed 
with  me." 

Regent :  "Brothers,  we  stand  in  the  presence  of  death ! 
One  of  our  members  has  passed  into  the  sublimest  Court 
of  all,  solved  the  drc-ad  Royal  Secret,  and  fathomed  Mys- 
teries, the  portals  of  which  are  opened  only  by  the  grim 
Warden,  Death.  This  is  but  the  mortal  part  of  our 
brother  which  lies  before  UP,  so  familiar,  so  beloved.  It 
was  cast  aside  when  his  spirit  put  on  immortal  garments. 
Our  brother  lives,  a  life  only  just  begun.  He  has  pre- 
ceded us  but  a  little,  and  awaits  in  a  better  land  the  com- 
ing of  those  he  loves.  With  tender  sympathy  and  rev- 
erent love,  we  place  upon  his  casket  (here  the  Regent 
shall  receive  the  emblem  from  the  Chaplain  and  place 
it  upon  the  casket)  the  emblem  of  our  trust,  that  it  is 


284 

well  with  our  brother  forever,  and  well  with  all  the  dear 
ones  he  has  left  behind." 

(After  the  lowering  of  the  casket:) 

Chaplain:  "Let  us  pray:  0  God,  our  Father,  Su- 
preme Ruler  of  the  Universe  and  Governor  of  all  things, 
we  know  that  without  Thee  not  even  a  sparrow  falleth 
to  the  ground,  and  we  may,  therefore,  trust  with  Thee 
the  soul  of  our  dead  brother,  as  we  return  his  body  to  its 
kindred  dust.  Thou  art  a  God  of  mercy  and  loving  kind- 
ness, and  lookest  upon  us  all  as  a  father  upon  the  chil- 
dren whom  he  loves.  Teach  us  by  this  lesson  of  mortali- 
ty how  frail  and  weak  we  are ;  how  slight  our  hold  upon 
this  world;  and  how  sure,  with  Thy  grace,  we  may  make 
our  anchorage  in  the  ocean  of  eternal  love.  We  commend 
unto  Thee  these  sorrowing  ones.  Minister  unto  them 
divine  consolation.  Bless  them  and  us  with  Thy  care  and 
protection.  Unite  us  all  again  in  Thine  own  good  time, 
and  be  to  us  now  and  ever,  our  Father  and  our  God. 
Amen." 

All:    "Amen." 


CHAPTER  XLI. 

SUPREME  COURT  OF  HONOR. 

This  Order  has  a  Ritual  which  prescribes  the  duties 
of  the  Chaplain  thus  on  page  53 :  "Worthy  Chaplain, 
it  will  be  your  duty,  as  well  as  your  privilege,  to  invoke 
the  divine  favor  and  blessing  upon  the  proceedings  of 
this  Order;  you  will  also  assist  in  initiating  candidates. 
Your  position  is  one  of  high  dignity,  and  may  you  en- 
deavor to  so  conduct  the  exercises  and  the  duties  devolv- 
ing upon  you  that  they  may  be  beneficial  to  the  members 
and  for  the  good  of  the  Order." 

At  the  opening  of  the  Lodge  the  Worthy  Chancellor 
says :  "Officers  and  members,  you  will  bow  your  heads 
while  the  Worthy  Chaplain  invokes  the  Divine  blessing." 

Worthy  Chaplain :  "Our  Father  and  our  God,  we  call 
upon  Thee  to  bless  all  the  members  of  this  Court ;  guide 
our  every  action  through  life,  and  help  us  to  be  faithful 
brothers  and  sisters  of  this  noble  Order;  may  each  and 
all  of  us  be  governed  by  a  fervent  desire  to  advance 
Patriotism,  Liberty  and  Brotherhood,  and  to  better  the 
condition  of  mankind.  This  we  ask  in  humble  depend- 
ence and  in  most  solemn  adoration  of  Thy  gracious 
name.  Amen." 

At  the  closing  of  the  Lodge  the  Chaplain  has  to  say : 
"0,  everlasting  Father,  we  ask  Thy  blessing  upon  the 


286 

members  of  our  noble  Order  and  upon  our  every  effort 
in  the  cause  of  rigbt.  Make  us  true  to  our  brothers  and 
sisters.,  kind  and  loving  in  our  homes,  loyal  and  obedient 
to  all,  and  worthy  members  of  the  great  brotherhood  of 
mankind.  Amen." 

The  Chaplain  instructs  the  candidate  thus:  "My 
brother,  it  is  well  that  you  have  come  to  me,  for  the  faith 
and  trust  in  a  Providence  of  unceasing  good  are  inter- 
woven with  the  inmost  activities  of  hearts  that  yearn  for 
right  and  seek  for  liberty.  Men  never  ri*e  so  high  or 
go  so  far  when  the  way  is  hid  and  their  only  guide  is 
duty  and  an  unshaken  confidence  in  the  invincible  right. 
It  is  not  in  the  province  of  this  Society  to  analyze  or  dis- 
cuss controverted  questions  of  faith  and  practice,  but  we 
all  know  and  see  the  need  and  the  waiting  of  the  world 
for  a  religion  of  brotherhood,  charity  and  love  applied  to 
the  common  affairs  of  human  society.  \Ve  need  to  un- 
derstand that  the  broadest  liberty  of  action  is  harmon- 
ized with  the  most  delicate  regard  for  the  rights  and 
comfort  of  others.  So  that  the  deepest  and  most  rever- 
ent faith  in  the  overshadowing  verities  of  God  and  man 
may  become  a  working  force  of  our  common  right  in  the 
daily  affairs  of  our  common  existence. 

"I  welcome  you,  then,  on  your  onward  way,  in  the 
name  of  Patriotism,  Liberty  and  Brotherhood,  and  give 
you  another  word  to  inscribe  on  your  heart  with  the  word 
Patriotism,  and  that  is  the  word  Liberty — the  liberty  of 
Love,  liberty  of  Law  and  Justice  and  Eight,  for  that  is 
the  only -liberty  worthy  of  the  devotion  of  man.  ..." 

At  a  funeral  of  a  member,  the  Chaplain,  after  reading 
from  the  Bible,  says  this  prayer:  "Almighty  God,  we 
give  Thee  hearty  thanks  for  the  good  example  of  those, 


287 

Thy  servants,  who,  having  iini&hed  their  course  in  faith, 
do  now  rest  from  their  labor.  And  we  beseech  Thee, 
that  we,  with  all  those  who  are  now  departed  in  the  true 
faith  of  Thy  holy  Xame,  may  have  our  perfect  consum- 
mation and  bliss,  both  in  body  and  soul,  in  Thine  eternal 
and  everlasting  glory,  through  Jesus  Christ,  our  Lord. 
Amen." 

For  the  ceremony  of  initiation,  the  ritual  prescribes : 
-  each  Court  shall  have  a  degree  team, 
appointed  by  the  Worthy  Chancellor,  composed  of  five 
sisters  and  six  brothers,  one  of  the  latter  to  act  as  Con- 
ductor, which  shall  drill  and  become  familiar  with  the 
floor  work.  The  sisters  shall  wear  robes  made  in  Grecian 
style,  one  each  of  the  following  colors :  Scarlet,  yellow, 
green,  blue  and  pink,  with  crowns  or  turbans  made  of 
the  same  color  as  the  robes.  The  brothers  shall  wear  suits 
of  the  style  worn  by  the  warriors  of  King  Solomon,  con- 
sisting of  sandals,  long  stockings,  armor  coats  and  hel- 
mets. All  members  of  the  degree  team  except  the  Con- 
ductor shall  bear  spears  or  battle  axes ;  the  Conductor 
shall  wear  a  sword. 

The  candidate  is  hoodwinked,  marched  around  the 
hall  whilst  the  members  sing  the  following  welcome 
march : 

"Some  think  this  world  is  made  for  fun  and  frolic, 

And  so  do  1   (and  so  do  I). 
Some  think  it  well  to  be  all  melancholic, 

To  pine  and  sigh   (to  pine  and  sigh). 
But  I,  I  love  to  spend  my  time  in  helping 

Some  worthy  friend  ( some  worthy  friend ) , 
To  help  their  loved  ones  when  their  life  is  ended 

Is  far  from  wrong  (is  far  from  wrong). 
Tra  la,  la,  la,  la,  la,  la.  Tra  la,  Tra  la,  Tra  la,  la,  la,  la. 

The  Court  of  Honor  does  this  for  you, 
Does  this  for  you,  we'll  do  this  for  you, 

Tra  la,  la,  la,  la,  We  will  do  this  for  you." 


288 

"Some  think  the  Court  initiates  its  members 

Upon  a  goat  (upon  a  goat). 
But  oh,  to  us  the  way  it  bucks  and  capers 

Is  fun  for  all  ( who'er  in  the  boat ) . 
And  oh,  to  us  the  mazy  dance  is  charming, 

It  can't  be  beat  (you  can  not  beat). 
And  surely  there  is  naught  that  is  alarming 

In  nimble  feet  (with  nimble  feet). 
Tra  la,  la,  la,  etc. 

"Ah,  we  think  strange  that  some  should  take  to  sighing 

And  like  it  well  (and  like  it  \vell). 
For  us,  we  have  no  thought  of  trying 

So  can  not  tell  (how  can  we  tell?/ 
With  goat  and  candidates  the  day  soon  passes 

So  soon  is  gone  (so  soon  is  gone) . 
For  fun  was  made  for  joyous  lads  and  lasses 
To  call  their  own   (to  call  their  own) 
Tra  la,  la,  la,  etc." 

The  candidate  takes  the  usual  solemn  obligation  never 
to  reveal  any  of  the  work  of  the  Order,  and  the  hokus- 
polt-us,  as  in  other  orders,  as  to  test,  is  not  omitted. 


CHAPTEE  XLIL 

THE  GLOBE  FRATERNAL  LEGION. 

The  Eitual  does  not  make  the  Chaplain  a  necessary 
figure  at  the  meetings;  but  it  has  the  religious  hymn 
and  the  oath  as  in  other  secret  societies. 

INITIATORY  ODE. 

•'Witness  ye  men  and  angels;  now 
Before  the  Lord  we  speak 
To  Him  we  make    our  solemn  vows, 
A  vow  we  dare  not  break. 

''Lord,  guide  our  doubtful  feet  aright 
And  keep  us  in  Thy  ways; 
Turn  Thou  our  prayers  to  praise. 
Etc." 

President:  "The  Instructor  will  please  conduct  the 
candidate  to  the  Altar,  where  he  will  assume  the  solemn 
obligation  that  all  of  you  have  assumed. 

President  to  Candidate :  "You  will  now  place  your 
right  hand  on  your  heart,  your  left  pointing  heavenward, 

bent  at  elbow,  and  repeat  after  me :  I, ,  in 

the  presence  of  Him  from  whom  emanates  every  good, 
and  of  these  tried  brethren,  do  promise  that  I  will  not 
knowingly  wrong,  cause  or  permit  to  be  wronged,  if  in 
my  power  to  prevent  it,  any  member  of  this  Order.  I 
will  protect  to  the  utmost  of  my  ability  the  fair  name 
and  character  of  anyone  whom  I  know  to  be  a  member 
of  this  Order;  will  go  to  the  aid  and  assistance  of  any 
member  of  this  Order  if  in  distress,  whenever  called  upon 


290 

so  to  do,  and  will,  if  found  worthy,  relieve  or  aid  in  re- 
lieving them  to  the  utmost  of  my  ability.  I  will  also 
patronize,  or  aid  any  worthy  member  of  this  Order  to  ob- 
tain employment  when  I  can  consistency  do  so  without 
detriment  to  my  own  interest  or  interference  with  any 
of  my  civil  or  religious  liberties.  I  will  not  commend 
for  membership  in  this  Legion  any  person  whom  I  know, 
to  be  of  immoral  habits,  or  whose  character  I  know,  or 
have  good  reason  to  believe,  to  be  other  than  good,  and 
who  is  not  of  sound  mind  and  body,  and  in  every  way 
worthy  to  become  a  member  of  this  Legion.  I  will  use 
my  best  efforts  in  promoting  the  interest  of  the  Legion, 
when  I  can  do  so  without  interfering  with  my  regular 
business.  I  will  not  while  a  member,  or  if  at  any  time  I 
cease  to  be  a  member,  ever  while  T  live,  reveal  to  anyone 
not  entitled  to  know,  any  of  the  secrets  of  the  Legion. 
All  this  I  promise  on  my  honor,  and  for  any  violation 
therof,  I  consent  to  be  punished  as  provided  for  in  the 
constitution,  by-laws,  rules  and  regulations  of  this  Le- 
gion, j 

President :  "We  have  in  use  in  our  Legion,  as  you  have 
already  been  informed,  certain  passwords,  grips,  signs, 
countersigns,  etc.,  which  our  Instructor  will  now  make 
known  to  you." 

But  why  occupy  time  in  discussing  more  of  the  three 
hundred  or  more  similar  societies,  one  by  one,  in  detail  ? 
They  all  agree  substantially  in  their  first  principle.  They 
all  teach  the  same  religious  doctrine — naturalism  and 
salvation  without.  Christ.  They  all  belong  to  the  Ma- 
sonic family,  which  is  the  mother  of  all,  in  fact  as  well 
as  in  name. 


CHAPTER  XLIII. 

COLLEGE   SECRET    SOCIETIES. 

About  one  hundred  and  -lii'ty  thousand  college 
students  in  the  United  States  belong  to  so-called  Greek 
Letter  or  College  Societies.  College  bred  men  and  wom- 
en, the  so-called  better  educated  class  of  people  among 
us,  are  thus  imbued  with  the  principles  of  secret  socie- 
ties, and  after  returning  to  their  homes  are,  as  a  rule, 
prime  movers  in  such  societies,  as  stated  in  the  beginning 
of  this  book. 

Tradition  has  it  that  Thomas  Jefferson  introduced  the 
first  Greek  Letter  Society  from  France  into  the  William 
and  Mary  College  of  Virginia,  and  that  from  there  the 
society  spread  to  Yale,  Harvard  and  the  other  seats  of 
learning,  before  the  Declaration  of  Independ- 
ence. Outside  of  the  "hazing"  and  other  "horse-play" 
practiced  in  some  colleges  and  universities,  the  mode  of 
initiation  varies  but  little.  From  time  to  time  the  offi- 
cials in  the  seats  of  learning  interfere  and  it  is  conceded 
that  in  nearly  all  the  schools  the  former  brutal  treatment 
is  abolished. 

The  mode  of  initiation  is  described  thus :  "About  two 
weeks  after  the  scholastic  term  in  September  has  com- 
menced notice  is  given  to  all  newly  arrived  students,  who 
are  of  the  required  age  and  standing,  to  join  the  society, 
if  they  so  desire.  A  day  is  set  for  the  ceremony  of  initia- 
tion. Those  who  have  signified  their  intention  to  join 


292 

receive,  on  the  after noou  oi'  the  appointed  day,  a  black 
envelope  containing  a  black-edged  card  or  sheet  of  paper, 
bearing  the  badge  of  the  society  and  the  summons :  'You, 
N.  N.,  will  be  waited  upon  at  your  room  this  evening  and 
be  presented  for  initiation  into  the  dark  and  awful  mys- 
teries of Fraternity.  Per  Order.' 

''The  half  of  a  card  of  fantastic  design  and  peculiarly 
notched  edge  is  also  enclosed,  and  the  candidate  in- 
structed to  surrender  himself1  only  to  that  person  who 
presents  him  with  the  other  half  of  the  card ;  care  being 
taken  that  no  two  cards  are  notched  alike,  so  his  card 
must  exactly  match  the  edge  of  the  card  of  the  bearer. 
At  a  convenient  hour  in  the  evening  two  masked  students 
present  the  card  and  conduct  the  candidate  to  the  place 
of  initiation.  Here  he  is. blindfolded,  led  forward,  hears 
doors  open  and  close,  and,  the  hoodwink  being  removed, 
he  finds  himself  in  utter  darkness,  but  is  made  aware 
that  he  is  not  alone.  He  hears  pandemonium  break  loose, 
as  it  were,  all  around  him.  His  name  is  called,  a  skele- 
ton redolent  with  phosphorus  and  a  red  demon  take  hold 
of  him,  blindfold  him  anew,  and  he  is  led  up  an  eleva- 
tion. Having  answered  the  last  question  put  to  him,  he 
tumbles,  falls  down  apparently  deep  on  a  blanket  held  in 
readiness,  is  tossed  high  up  in  the  air  amid  admiring 
shrieks  of  'Go  it,  Freshie/  'Well  done/  'Shake  him 
up/  'Go  it  again/  and  so  on  until  a  new  candidate  de- 
mands the  attention  of  the  tossers.  Then  he  is  officiously 
told  to  set  himself  into  a  chair,  the  seat  of  which  lets  him 
into  a  pail  of  water  beneath,  though  a  large  sponge  prob- 
ably saves  him  from  an  actual  wetting.  His  head  and 
hands  are  thrust  through  a  pillory,  and  he  is  reviled 
whilst  in  that  awkward  position.  He  is  rolled  into  an 


283 

exaggerated  squirrel  wheel,  a  noose  is  thrown  around  his 
neck  and  he  is  dragged  beneath  the  guillotine,  when  the 
bandage  is  taken  from  his  eyes  and  he  glares  upon  the 
glittering  knife  of  block  tin,  which  falls  within  a  foot  of 
his  throat  and  cannot  possibly  go  any  farther.  Being 
thus  executed  he  is  thrust  into  a  coffin,  which  is  ham- 
mered upon  with  such  energy  that  he  is  at  length  re- 
called to  life,  pulled  out  again  and  made  to  wear  his  coat 
inside  outward.  This  is  the  sign  that  his  initiation  is 
over  and  lie  can  now  stand  by  and  enjoy  the  fun  of  the 
initiation  of  others.  Hanging  himself  with  the  turn- 
coated  class-mates,  whom  he  finds  have  preceded  him,  he 
looks  upon  a  motley  throng  of  struggling  sophomores 
arrayed  in  every  variety  <»!'  hideous  ;ind  fantastic  dis- 
guise, shoiiting,  screaming,  horn-blowing  and  putting  the 
freshmen  through  the  various  stages  of  ceremonies  which 
in  his  own  case  have  just  been  completed.  He  is  then 
made  to  take  the  oath  and  promise  secrecy,  as  required 
by  the  respective  society/' 

In  the  old  country  the  university  students  had  and 
have  their  different  secret  societies ;  some  of  them  harm- 
less and  others  not  so. 

Initiation  in  one  of  the  oldest  seats  of  learning  into 
the  companionship  of  students  is  thus  described : 

"The  ceremony  of  initiation  was  called  'deposition.' 
The  candidate  announced  himself  to  the  dean  of  the 
philosophical  faculty,  and  asked  that  he  might,  through 
the  'deposition/  be  received  among  the  fellowship  of 
the  students.  The  candidate  was  called  a  'Branen/  and 
when  the  number  of  Branens  for  admission  was  suffi- 
cent,  the  dean  appointed  a  day  for  the  'deposition/  On 
the  appointed  day,-  the  'depositor*  appeared  in  a  bur- 


294 

lesque  dress  before  the  assembled  Branens  and  ordered 
his  assistants  to  dress  them  in  the  most  ridiculous  man- 
ner, especially  with  horned  hats  arid  caps.  Then  the  in- 
struments for  the  deposition  were  distributed,  viz.: 
Coarse  wooden  combs,  shears,  axes,  hatchets,  planes, 
saws,  razors,  looking  glasses,  etc.  The  Depositor  then 
marched  the  Branens  in  rank  and  file,  placed  himself  at 
their  head  and  conducted  them  to  the  hall  where  the  de- 
position was  to  take  place.  The  dean  and  spectators  be- 
ing already  awaiting  them,  the  Depositor  addressed  them 
in  a  speech.  Then  he  commenced  the  deposition  by 
striking  each  Branen  Avith  a  bag  of  bran  or  sand  and 
compelled  them  to  scamper  about  with  all  manner  of 
laughable  gestures  and  din-kings  in  order  to  escape  tli- 
stroke  of  the  bag.  Riddles  and  questions  were  put  to 
them  and  whoever  failed  in  answering  them  correctly 
\vas  subjected  to  new  attacks  \vith  the  bag.  The  Branens 
now  give  up  the  instruments  they  hold  in  their  hands, 
lay  down  fiat  on  the  ground,  their  heads  together.  The 
Depositor  then  planed  their  shoulders,  filed  their  nails, 
pretended  to  bore  through  or  saw  off  their  feet,  hewed 
every  limb  of  their  body  into  shape,  knocked  off  their 
horns  and  tore  out  of  tbeir  mouths  with  a  pair  of  long 
tongs  the  satyr's  teeth,  placed  there  on  purpose.  The 
Branen  had  then  to  sit  on  a  stool  with  one  leg,  a  napkin 
was  placed  around  his  neck,  lie  was  soaped  with  brick- 
dust  or  shoe-blackening  and  shaved  so  sharply  with  a 
wooden  razor  that  the  tears  started  down  his  cheeks. 
The  combing  with  the  wooden  comb  was  equally  rough, 
and  after  the  combing  the  hair  was  sprinkled  with  saw- 
dust and  shavings.  Then  the  Branens  were  driven  out 
of  the  hall,  amidst  a  great  noise,  changed  their  suits  and 


295 

returned  in  their  ordinary  dress  to  the  hall,  where  the 
dean  addressed  them  in  an  advisory  speech.  As  a  sym- 
bol of  wisdom  each  tasted  a  grain  of  salt,  as  a  sign  of 
joy  a  few  drops  of  M'inc  were  poured  over  the  head  of 
each  one  by  the  dean  and  the  c-ertifk-nlr  of  the  accom- 
plished deposition  ended  that  part  of  the  ceremony." 


CHAPTER  XLIV. 

THE  SO-CALLED  SECRET  WORK. 

In  each  oath  mentioned  in  the  foregoing  description 
of  the  different  secret  societies  the  words  "secret  work" 
or  the  equivalent  thereof  occur.  What  is  this  secret 
work  ?  To  whom  is  it  known  ?  In  each  local  lodge  and 
in  each  Grand,  or  State  Lodge,  and  in  the  so-called  Na- 
tional Lodge  of  each  of  the  three  hundred  or  more  secret 
societies,  there  are  the  "Select  Few"  and  the  "Inner  Cir- 
cle." What  does  this  mean  ? 

When  a  new  lodge  of  any  secret  society  is  established, 
the  organizer  has  his  eye  on  the  more  intelligent  and 
prominent  applicants.  In  Ms  application  for  the  Char- 
ter, he  states  the  local  standing  of  his  candidates,  and 
makes  particular  reference  to  the  character,  etc.,  of  a 
few,  whom  he  calls  No.  1.  These  few  are  watched  for 
a  year  or  so,  and  a  correspondence  is  kept  up  between 
them  and  headquarters  about  apparently  indifferent  sub- 
jects; and,  by  the  time  they  have  been  "sounded"  on 
topics  of  the  day,  and  this  and  that,  one  of  the  leading 
men  at  "headquarters"  under  some  pretext  or  other  finds 
a  reason  to  visit  the  local  lodge  and  come  in  contact  with 
the  "select  few"  who  have  been  the  object  of  special  ob- 
servation. There  may  be  a  banquet,  or  a  reception,  or  a 
something,  according  to  local  circumstances,  to  bring 
the  members  and  their  friends  together.  The  "expert" 
from  headquarters,  after  some  speeches  or  conversation, 


has  made  his  pick,  has  his  "selected  few"  spotted.  He 
approaches  them  in  a  most  pleasant  manner,  is  glad  to 
find  so  much  intelligence  in  a  place  where  he  had  ex- 
pected less,  and  surely  all  the  superior  qualities  the  com- 
munity enjoys  were  due  to  such  men  as  they,  and  he 
thinks  so  much  of  them  that  he  desires  to  be  their  partic- 
ular friend,  and  would  like  to  establish  a  mutual  friend- 
ship. During  the  course  of  the  conversation  following, 
our  agent  from  headquarters  has  his  men  "all  attention." 
He  explains  to  them  why  "all  must  not  be  told  to  all," 
but  they,  having  superior  education  and  talents,  might 
be  told  the  "secret  work.''  As  they  are  leaders  in  local 
nffairs,  a  great  advantage  will  accrue  to  them  by  being 
promoted  in  their  respective  lodge :  it  will  be  to  increase 
their  standing  with  their  local  people,  it  means  better 
trade  and  more  money,  or  greater  honor  and  a  higher 
office  and  more  money,  etc.  Gradually  it  comes  to  a 
point  that  there  are  two  or  three  in  each  local  lodge  who 
have  gained  the  confidence  of  the  higher  officials.  An 
animal  State  conference  is  arranged  to  which  these  "se- 
lect few"  will  be  sent  as  "Delegates."  The  "State 
Picker"  will  repeat  the  process  of  the  local  organizer, 
will  spot  his  men,  sound  them  and  have  again  a  "select 
few"  who  will  be  sent  to  the  National  Conventions  as 
State  Delegates.  The  "Supremes"  at  the  National  Con- 
vention will  again  pick  out  their  "Select  Few." 
Out  of  these  "State  and  National  Select  Few"  an  "Inner 
Circle"  is  formed  which  rules  the  whole  organization  at 
the'dictates  of  "a  few"  of  a  circle  within  the  "Inner  Cir- 
cle." These  final  "selected  few"  direct  the  "secret 
work." 


298 

In  every  secret  society  of  "good  financial  standing" 
these  "select  few"  are  Freemasons.  From  the  timber, 
they  find  most  suitable  for  their  purpose,  they  recruit 
the  ranks  and  file  of  Freemasonry.  Thus  Freemasonry 
is  the  mother  in  fact  as  well  as  in  name  of  all  secret  soci- 
eties; they  emanate  from  it  and  in  their  end-object,  re- 
turn to  it,  making  possible  the  great  strength  of  this  en- 
emy of  the  Catholic  Church.  Thus  an  edict  from  the 
head  of  Freemasonry  reaches  all  those  members  of  any 
secret  society  who  have  shown  the  necessary  qualification 
and  in  this  way  united  action  is  assured.  No  Catholic 
will  ever  be  allowed  to  belong  to  the  "select  few"  because 
he  is  not  trusted.  "If  he  is  a  traitor  to  the  church  of  his 
mother,  we  cannot  trust  him ;  when  death  is  near  he  will, 
generally,  prefer  the  Pope  and  his  Priest  to  our  friend- 
ship, and  he  may  tell  all  he  knows;  therefore  "not  all 
must  be  told  to  all'  and  we  Masons  prefer  to  know  our 
own."  Such  and  similar  remarks  were  made  to  me  by 
friends  Avho  belong  to  Freemasonry.  In  oilier  words, 
Catholics  who  join  the  Masonic  Orders,  or  any  secret 
society,  are  considered  fit  for  swelling  the  ranks  and  the 
coffer,  and  the  votes  at  election  day,  and  are  despised  by 
their  very  so-called  Masonic  or  lodge  breilnvn. 

Now  what  is  Ihc  "secret  \\<>rk  ?''  What  else  but  polit- 
ical wire-pulling  and  practical  work  against  the  Church 
of  Jesus  Christ.  I  have  been  asked  time  and  again,  in 
my  twenty  years  of  priesthood,  at  the  time  of  election,  to 
use  my  sieenlotal  influence  for  some  or  other  candidate. 
Keeping  my  political  views  pretty  well  to  myself,  as'far 
as  party  lines  are  concerned,  but  at  the  same  time  not  idle 
in  using  my  privilege  ns  an  American  citizen,  T  often 
heard  these  word- :  "Well,  Father  Rosen,  you  know  that 


299 

So,  and  So,  aiid  So,  are  prominent  members  in  our 
lodge;  we  all  are  in  for  him,  he  must  get  there;  he  is  a 
good  man,  and  though  you  may  not  like  his  principles  as 
a  Mason  or  a  lodge  member,  it  is  well  for  you  to  stand  in, 
be  with  us  this  time;  we  want  your  friendship;  we 
helped  you  in  building-  churches :  why  !  the  other  Sunday 
before  the  election,  I  went  to  hear  you  preach;  it  was  I 
who  put  that  five  in  the  collection  box,  and  if  there  is 
anything  we  can  do  for  you  call  on  us,  etc." 

Some  Catholics  have  been  foolish  enough  to  be 
"caught"  by  such  talk.  Account  for  the  many  bills  be- 
fore State  and  National  Legislation  interfering  with  the 
rights  of  parents  in  regard  to  the  religious  education  of 
their  children,  whether  they  are  Indians  or  whites; 
whether  they  live  in  Indiana.  Illinois.  Wisconsin,  or  the 
Dakotas,  or  any  other  State  in  the  Union.  When  there 
is  a  question  of  electing  a  Freemason  to  an  office,  or 
having  a  bill  passed  which  tends  to  annihilate  Christian- 
ity, an  edict  from  the  head  of  Masonry  is  sufficient  to  set 
the  whole  machinery  of  Masonry  and  all  secret  societies 
in  motion  to  obtain  the  desired  end. 


PART  II. 


THE  CHURCH 


CHAPTER  I. 

THE  CHURCH. 

The  Dogmatic  Constitution  of  the  Catholic  Faith,  as 
promulgated  by  the  Vatican  Council,  April  24,  1870, 
bears  relation  to  secret  societies.  It  reads  thus : 

"PIUS, 

"Bishop,  Servant  of  the  Servants  of  God,  with  the  Ap- 
proval of  the  Sacred  Council,  for  perpetual  Remem- 
brance. 

"Our  Lord  Jesus  Christ,  the  Son  of  God,  and  Re- 
deemer of  mankind,  before  returning  to  His  heavenly 
Father,  promised  that  He  would  be  with  the  Church  Mil- 
itant on  earth  all  days,  even  to  the  consummation  of  the 
world.  Therefore  He  has  never  ceased  to  be  present  with 
His  beloved  spouse,  to  assist  her  when  teaching,  to  bless 
her  when  at  work,  and  to  aid  her  when  in  danger.  And 
this,  His  salutary  providence,  which  has  been  constantly 
displayed  by  other  innumerable  benefits,  has  been  most 
manifestly  proved  by  the  abundant  good  results  which 
Christendom  has  derived  from  (Ecumenical  Councils, 
and  paj'ticularly  from  that  of  Trent,  although  it  was  held 
in  evil  times.  For,  as  a  consequence,  the  sacred  doctrines 
of  the  faith  have  been  defined  more  closely,  and  set  forth 
more  fully,  errors  have  been  condemned  and  restrained, 
ecclesiastical  discipline  has  been  restored  and  more  firm- 
ly secured,  the  love  of  learning  and  piety  lias  been  pro- 


1504 

raoted  among  the  clergy,  colleges  have  been  established 
to  educate  youth  for  the  sacred  warfare,  and  the  morals 
of  the  Christian  world  have  been  renewed  by  the  more 
accurate  training  of  the  faithful,  and  by  the  more  fre- 
quent use  of  the  sacraments.  Moreover,  there  has  re- 
sulted a  closer  communion  of  the  members  with  the  visi- 
ble head,  an  increase  of  vigor  in  the  whole  mystical  body 
of  Christ,  the  multiplication  of  religious  congregations 
and  of  other  institutions  of  Christian  piety,  and  such  ar- 
dor in  extending  the  kingdom  of  Christ  throughout  the 
world,  as  constantly  endures,  even  to  the  sacrifice  of  life 
itself. 

"But  while  we  recall  with  due  thankfulness  these  and 
other  signal  benefits  which  the  divine  mercy  has  be- 
stowed on  the  Church,  especially  by  the  last  (Ecumenical 
Council,  we  cannot  restrain  our  bitter  sorrow  for  the 
grave  evils,  which  are  principally  due  to  the  fact  that  the 
authority  of  the  sacred  synod  has  been  contemned,  or  its 
wise  decrees  neglected  by  many. 

"No  one  is  ignorant  that  the  heresies  proscribed  by  the 
Fathers  of  Trent,  by  which  the  divine  magisterium  of 
the  Church  was  rejected,  and  all  matters  regarding  re- 
ligion were  'surrendered  to  the  judgment  of  each  indi- 
vidual, gradually  became  dissolved  into  many  sects, 
which  disagreed  and  contended  with  one  another,  until 
at  length  not  a  few  lost  all  faith  in  Christ.  Even  the 
Holy  Scriptures,  which  had  previously  been  declared  the 
sole  source  and  judge  of  Christian  doctrine,  began  to  be 
held  no  longer  as  divine,  but  to  be  ranked  among  the 
fictions  of  mythology. 

"Then  there  arose,  and  too  widely  overspread  the 
world,  that  doctrine  of  rationalism,  or  naturalism,  which 


opposes  itself  in  every  way  to  I  lie  Christian  religion  as  a 
supernatural  institution,  and  works  with  the  utmost  zeal 
in  order  that,  after  Christ.,  our  sole  Lord  and  Saviour. 
has  been  excluded  from  the  mind  of  men,  and  from  the 
life  and  moral  acts  of  nations,  the  reign  of  what  they  call 
finre  reason  or  nature  may  be  established.  And  after  for- 
aaking  and  rejecting  the  Christian  religion,  and  denying 
the  true  God  and  Plis  Christ,  the  minds  of  many  have 
sunk  into  the  abyss  of  Pantheism,  Materialism,  and 
Atheism,  until,  denying  rational  nature  itself,  and  every 
sound  rule  of  right,  they  labor  to  destroy  the  deepest 
foundation  of  human  society.  Unhappily,  it  has  yet  far- 
Iher  come  to  pass  that,  while  this  impiety  prevailed  on 
even7  side,  many  even  of  the  children  of  the  Catholic 
Church  have  strayed  from  the  path  of  true  piety,  and  by 
the  gradual  diminution  of  the  truths  they  held,  the  Cath- 
olic sense  became  weakened  in  them.  For,  led  away  by 
various  and  strange  doctrines,  utterly  confusing  nature 
and  grace,  human  science  and  divine  faith,  they  are 
found  to  deprave  the  true  sense  of  the  doctrines  which 
our  Holy  Mother  Church  holds  and  teaches,  and  endan- 
ger the  integrity  and  soundness  of  the  faith.  Consid- 
ering these  things  how  can  the -Church  fail  to  be  deeply 
stirred?  For,  even  as  God  wills  all  men  to  be  saved, 
and  to  arrive  at  the  knowledge  of  the  truth,  even  as 
Christ  came  to  save  what  had  perished  and  to  gather 
together  the  children  of  God  who  had  been  dispersed, 
so  the  Church,  constituted  by  God  the  mother  and  teach- 
er of  nations,  knows  its  own  office  as  debtor  to  all,  and 
is  ever  ready  and  watchful  to  raise  the  fallen,  to  support 
those  who  are  falling,  to  embrace  those  who  return,  to 
confirm  the  good  and  to  carry  them  on  to  better  things. 


306 

"Hence,  it  can  never  forbear  from  witnessing  to  and 
proclaiming  the  truth  of  God,  which  heals  all  things, 
knowing  the  words  addressed  to  it:  'My  Spirit  that  is 
in  thee,  and  my  words  that  I  have  put  in  thy  mouth, 
shall  not  depart  out  of  thy  mouth,  from  henceforth  and 
forever/ — (Isaiah,  lix,  21.) 

"We,  therefore,  following  the  footsteps  of  our  prede- 
cessors, have  never  ceased,  as  becomes  our  supreme  Apos- 
tolic office,  from  teaching  and  defending  Catholic  truth, 
and  condemning  doctrines  of  error.  And  now,  with  the 
Bishops  of  the  whole  world  assembled  round  us,  and 
judging  with  us,  congregated  by  our  authority,  and  in  the 
Holy  Spirit,  in  this  (Ecumenical  Council,  we,  supported 
by  the  Word  of  God,  written  and  handed  down  as  we  re- 
ceive it  from  the  Catholic  Church,  preserved  with  sacred- 
ness  and  set  forth  according  to  truth,  have  determined 
to  profess  and  declare  the  salutary  teaching  of  Christ 
from  this  chair  of  Peter,  and  in  sight  of  all,  proscribing 
and  condemning,  by  the  power  given  to  us  of  God,  all 
errors  contrary  thereto." 


CHAPTER  II. 

ENCYCLICAL  LETTER,  HUMANUM  GENUS. 

Eii cyclical  Letter  of  His  Holiness,  Leo  XIII.,,  called 
"Humanmn  Genus." 

"To  Our  Venerable  Brethren,  all  Patriarchs,  Primates, 
Archbishops  and  Kishops  of  the  Catholic  World,  in 
favor  and  communion  with  the  Apostolic  See. 
"Venerable  Brethren,  Health  and  Apostolic  Benediction. 

"The  race  of  man,  after  its  miserable  fall  from  God, 
the  Creator  and  the  Giver  of  heavenly  gifts,  'through 
the  envy  of  the  devil,'  separated  into  two  diverse  and  op- 
posite parts,  of  which  the  one  steadfastly  contends  for 
truth  and  virtue,  the  other  for  those  things  which  are 
contrary  to  virtue  ;md  to  truth.  The  one  is  the  king- 
dom of  God  on  earth,  namely,,  true  Church  of  Jesus 
Christ:  and  those  who  desire  from  their  heart  to  be 
united  with  it,  so  as  to  gain  salvation,  must  of  necessity 
serve  God  and  His  Only-begotten  Son  with  their  whole 
mind  and  with  an  entire  will.  The  other  is  the  kingdom 
of  Satan,  in  whose  possession  and  control  are  all  whoso- 
ever follow  the  fatal  example  of  their  leader  and  of  our 
first  parents,  those  who  refuse  to  obey  the  divine  and 
denial  law.  and  who  have  many  aims  of  their  own  in 
contempt  of  God,  and  many  aims  also  against  God. 

"This  twofold  kingdom  St.  Augustine  keenly  discerned 
and  described  after  the  manner  of  two  cities,  contrary  in 
their  laws  because  striving  for  contrary  objects;  and  with 


308 

a  subtle  brevity  he  expressed  the  efficient  cause  of  each 
in  these  words:  'Two  loves  formed  two  cities:  the  love 
of  self,  reaching  even  to  contempt  of  God,  an  earthly 
city ;  and  the  love  of  God,  reaching  to  contempt  of  self, 
a  heavenly  one/  At  every  period  of  time  each  has  been 
in  conflict  with  the  other,  with  a  variety  and  multiplicity 
of  weapons,  and  of  warfare,  although  not  always  with 
equal  ardor  and  assault.  At  this  period,  however,  the 
partisans  of  evil  seem  to  be  combining  together,  and  to 
be  struggling  with  united  vehemence,  led  on  or  assisted 
by  that  strongly  organized  and  wide-spread  association 
called  the  Freemasons.  No  longer  makin'g  any  secret 
of  their  purposes,  they  are  now  boldly  rising  up  against 
God  -Himself.  They  are  planning  the  destruction  of 
Holy  Church  publicly  and  openly;  and  this  with  the  set 
purpose  of  utterly  despoiling  the  nations  of  Christen- 
dom, if  it  were  possible,  of  the  blessings  obtained  for  us 
through  Jesus  Christ  our  Saviour.  Lamenting  these 
evils,  we  are  constrained  by  the  charity  which  urges  our 
beart  to  cry  out  often  to  God :  'For  lo,  Thy  enemies  have 
made  a  noise ;  and  they  that  hate  Thee  have  lifted  up  the 
head.  They  have  taken  a  malicious  counsel  against  Thy 
people,  and  they  have  consulted  against  Thy  Saints.' 
They  have  said,  'Come,  and  let  us  destroy  them,  so  that 
they  be  not  a  nation.* 

"At  so  urgent  a  crisis,  when  so  fierce  and  so~  pressing  an 
onslaught  is  made  upon  the  Christian  name,  it  is  Our 
office  to  point  out  the  danger,  to  mark  who  are  the  ad- 
versaries, and  to  the  best  of  Our  power  to  make  hear! 
against  their  plans  and  devices,  that  those  may  not  per- 
ish whose  salvation  is  committed  to  TTs,  and  that  the 
kingdom  of  Jesus  Christ  intrusted  to  Our  charge  may 


309 

not  only  stand  and  remain  whole,  but  may  be  enlarged 
by  an  ever-increasing  growth  throughout  the  world. 

"The  Eoman  Pontiffs,  Our  predecessors,  in  their  inces- 
sant watchfulness  over  the  safety  of  the  Christian  peo- 
ple, were  prompt  in  detecting  the  presence  and  the  pur- 
pose of  this  capital  enemy  immediately  it  sprang  into 
the  light  instead  of  hiding  as  a  dark  conspiracy;  and 
moreover  they  took  occasion  with  true  foresight  to  give, 
as  it  were,  the  alarm,  and  to  admonish  both  princes  and 
nations  to  stand  on  their  guard,  and  not  allow  them- 
selves to  be  caught  by  the  devices  and  snares  laid  out  to 
deceive  them. 

"The  first  warning  of  the  danger  was  given  by  Clement 
XII.  in  the  year  1738,  and  his  Constitution  was  con- 
firmed and  renewed  by  Benedict  XIV.  Pius  VII.  fol- 
lowed the  same  path:  and  Leo  XII.,  by  his  Apostolic 
Constitution,  'Quo  graviora,'  put  together  the  Acts  and 
Decrees  of  former  Pontiffs  on  this  subject,  and  ratified 
and  confirmed  them  forever.  In  the  same  sense  spoke 
Pius  VIII.,  Gregory  XVI.,  and  many  times  over  Pius 
IX. 

"For,  as  soon  as  the  constitution  and  the  spirit  of  the 
Masonic  sect  were  clearly  discovered  by  manifest  signs 
of  its  action,  by  cases  investigated,  by  the  publication  of 
its  laws,  and  of  its  rites  and  commentaries,  with  the  ad- 
dition often  of  the  personal  testimony  of  those  who  were 
in  the  secret,  this  Apostolic  See  denounced  the  sect  of 
the  Freemasons,  and  publicly  declared  its  constitution, 
as  contrary  to  law  and  right,  to  be  pernicious  no  less  to 
Christendom  than  to  the  State ;  and  it  forbade  anyone  to 
enter  the  society,  under  the  penalties  which  the  Church 
is  wont  to  inflict  upon  exceptionally  guilty  persons.  The 


310 

sectaries,  indignant  at  this,,  thinking  to  elude  or  to 
weaken  the  force  of  these  decrees,  partly  by  contempt  of 
them,  and  partly  by  calumny,  accused  the  Sovereign 
Pontiffs  who  had  passed  them,  either  of  exceeding  the 
bounds  of  moderation  in  their  decrees  or  of  decreeing 
what  was  not  just.  This  was  the  manner  in  which  they 
endeavored  to  elude  the  authority  and  the  weight  of  the 
Apostolic-  Constitutions  of  Clement  XII.  and  Benedict 
XIV.,  a.s  well  as  of  Pius  ATI.  and  Pius  IX.  Yet  in  the 
very  society  itself  there  were  to  be  found  men  who  un- 
willingly acknowledge  that  the  Koman  Pontiffs  had  acted 
within  their  right,  according  to  the  Catholic  doctrine  and 
discipline.  The  Pontiffs  received  the  same  assent,  and 
in  strong  terms,  from  many  princes  and  heads  of  gov- 
ernments, who  made  it  their  business  either  to  delate  the 
Masonic  Society  to  the  Apostolic  See,  or  of  their  own  ac- 
cord by  special  enactments  to  brand  it  as  pernicious,  as, 
for  example,  in  Holland,  Austria,  Switzerland,  Spain, 
Bavaria,  Savoy,  and  other  parts  of  Italy. 

"But,  what  is  of  highest  importance,  the  course  of 
events  has  demonstrated  the  prudence  of  Our  Predeces- 
sors. For  their  provident  and  paternal  solicitude  had  not 
always  and  everywhere  the  result  desired ;  and  this, 
either  because  of  the  simulation  and  cunning  of  some 
who  were  active  agents  in  the  mischief,  or  else  of  the 
thoughtless  levity  of  the  rest,  who  ought,  in  their  own 
interest,  to  have  given  to  the  matter  their  diligent  atten- 
tion. In  consequence  the  sect  of  Freemasons  grew  with 
a  rapidity  beyond  conception  in  the  course  of  a  century 
and  a  half,  until  it  came  to  be  able,  by  means  of  fraud  or 
of  audacity,  to  gain  such  entrance  into  every  rank  of 
the  State  as  to  seem  to  be  almost  its  ruling  power.  This 


311 

swift  and  formidable  advance  has  brought  upon  the 
Church,  upon  the  power  of  princes,  upon  the  public  well- 
being,  precisely  that  grievous  harm  which  Our  Prede- 
cessors had  long  before  foreseen.  Such  a  condition  has 
been  reached  that  henceforth  there  will  be  grave  reason 
to  fear,  not  indeed  for  the  Church — for  her  foundation 
is  much  too  firm  to  be  overturned  by  the  effort  of  men — 
but  for  those  States  in  which  prevails  the  power,  either 
of  the  sect  of  which  we  are  speaking,  or  of  other  sects 
not  dissimilar  which  lend  themselves  to  it  as  disciples 
and  subordinates. 

"For  these  reasons  We  no  sooner  came  to  the  helm  of 
the  Church  than  We  clearly  saw  and  felt  it  to  be  Our 
duty  to  use  Our  authority  to  the  very  utmost  against  so 
vast  an  evil.  We  have  several  times  already,  as  occasion 
served,  attacked  certain  chief  points  of  teaching  which 
showed  in  a  special  manner  the  perverse  influence  of  Ma- 
sonic opinions.  Thus,  in  Our  Encyclical  Letter,  'Quod 
Apostolici  nntneris.'  We  endeavored  to  refute  the  mon- 
strous doctrines  of  the  Socialists  and  Communists ;  after- 
wards, in  another  beginning  'Arcanum,'  We  took  pains 
to  defend  and  explain  the  true  and  genuine  idea  of  do- 
mestic life,  of  which  marriage  is  the  'spring  and  origin ; 
and  again,  in  that  which  begins  'Diuturnum,'  We 
described  the  ideal  of  political  government  conformed  to 
the  principles  of  Christian  wisdom,  which  is  marvelously 
in  harmony,  on  the  one  hand,  with  the  natural  order  of 
things,  and,  on  the  other,  with  the  well-being  of  both  sov- 
ereign princes  and  of  nations.  It  is  now  Our  intention, 
following  the  example  of  Our  Predecessors,  directly  to 
treat  of  the  Masonic  Society  itself,  of  its  whole  teaching, 
of  its  aims,  and  of  its  manner  of  thinking  and  acting,  in 


312 

order  to  bring  more  and  more  into  the  light  its  power 
for  evil,  and  to  do  what  We  can  to  arrest  the,  contagion 
of  this  fatal  plague. 

"There  are  several  organized  bodies  which.,  though  dif- 
fering in  name,  in  ceremonial,  in  form  and  origin,  are 
nevertheless  so  bound  together  by  community  of  purpose 
and  by  the  similarity  of  their  main  opinions,  as  to  make 
in  fact  one  thing  with  the  sect  of  the  Freemasons,  which 
is  a  kind  of  centre  whence  they  all  go  forth,  and  whither 
they  all  return.  Now,  these  no  longer  show  a  desire  to 
remain  concealed;  for  they  hold  their  meetings  in  the 
daylight  and  before  the  public  eye,  and  publish  their  own 
newspaper  organs:  and  yet,  when  thoroughly  understood, 
they  are  found  still  to  retain  the  nature  and  the  habits  of 
secret  societies.  There  are  many  things  like  mysteries 
which  it  is  the  fixed  rule  to  hide  with  extreme  care,  not 
only  from  strangers,  but  from  very  many  members  also ; 
such  as  their  secret  and  final  designs,  the  names  of  the 
chief  leaders,  and  certain  secret  and  inner  meetings,  as 
well  as  their  decisions,  and  the  ways  and  means  of  car- 
rying thent  out.  This  is,  no  doubt,  the  object  of  the 
manifold  differences  among  the  members  as  to  right,  of- 
fice, and  privilege — of  the  received  distinction  of  orders 
and  grades,  and  of  that  severe  discipline  which  is  main- 
tained. Candidates  are  generally  commanded  to  promise 
— nay,  with  a  special  oath,  to  swear — that  they  will 
never,  to  any  person,  at  any  time  or  in  any  way,  make 
known  the  members,  the  passes,  or  the  subjects  dis- 
cussed. Thus,  with  a  fraudulent  external  appearance, 
and  with  a  style  of  simulation  which  is  always  the  same, 
the  Freemasons,  like  the  Manichees  of  old,  strive,  as  far 
as  possible,  to  conceal  themselves,  and  to  admit  no  wit- 


nesses  but  their  own  members.  As  a  convenient  manner 
of  concealment,  they  assume  the  character  of  literary 
men  and  scholars  associated  for  purposes  of  learning. 
They  speak  of  their  zeal  for  a  more  cultured  refinement, 
and  of  their  love  for  the  poor ;  and  they  declare  their  one 
wish  to  be  the  amelioration  of  the  condition  of  the 
masses,  and  to  share  with  the  largest  possible  number 
all  the  benefits  of  civil  life.  Even  were  these  purposes 
aimed  at  in  real  truth,  they  are  by  no  means  the  whole  of 
their  object.  Moreover,  to  be  enrolled,  it  is  necessary 
that  the  candidates  promise  and  undertake  to  be  thence- 
forward strictly  obedient  to  their  leaders  and  masters 
with  the  utmost  submission  and  fidelity,  and  to  be  in 
readiness  to  do  their  bidding  upon  the  slightest  expres- 
sion of  their  will;  or,  if  disobedient,  to  submit  to  the 
direst  penalties  and  death  itself.  As  a  fact,  if  any  are 
judged  to  have  betrayed  the  doings  of  the  sect  or  to  have 
resisted  commands  given,  punishment  is  inflicted  on 
them  not  infrequently,  and  with  so  much  audacity  and 
dexterity  that  the  assassin  very  often  escapes  the  detec- 
tion and  penalty  of  his  crime. 

"But  to  simulate  and  wish  to  lie  hid ;  to  bind  men  like 
slaves  in  the  very  tightest  bonds,  and  without  giving  any 
sufficient  reason ;  to  make  use  of  men  enslaved  to  the  will 
of  another  for  any  arbitrary  act;  to  arm  men's  right 
hands  for  bloodshed  after  securing  impunity  for  the 
crime — all  this  is  an  enormity  from  which  nature  recoils. 
Wherefore  reason  and  truth  itself  make  it  plain  that  the 
society  of  which  we  are  speaking  is  in  antagonism  with 
justice  and-  natural  uprightness.  And  this  becomes  still 
plainer,  inasmuch  as  other  arguments  also,  and  those 
very  manifest,  prove  that  it  is  essentially  opposed  to  nat- 


314 

ural  virtue.  For,  no  matter  how  great  may  be  men's 
cleverness  in  concealing  and  their  experience  in  lying,  it 
is  impossible  to  prevent  the  effects  of  any  cause  from 
showing,  in  some  way,  the  intrinsic  nature  of  the  cause 
whence  they  come.  'A  good  tree  cannot  produce  bad 
fruit,  nor  a  bad  tree  produce  good  fruit/  Xow,  the  Ma- 
sonic sect  produces  fruits  that  are  pernicious  and  of  the 
bitterest  savor.  For,  from  :what  we  have  above  most 
clearly  shown,  that  which  is  their  ultimate  purpose  forces 
itself  into  view — namely,  the  utter  overthrow  of  that 
whole  religious  and  political  order  of  the  world  which 
the  Christian  teaching  has  produced,  and  the  substitu- 
tion of  a  new  state  of  things  in  accordance  with  their 
ideas,  of  which  the  foundations  and  laws  shall  be  drawn 
from  mere  Naturalism/ 

"What  We  have  said,  and  are  about  to  say,  must  be 
understood  of  the  sect  of  the  Freemasons  taken  gener- 
ically,  and  in  so  far  as  it  comprises  the  associations  kin- 
dred to  it  and  confederated  with  it,  but  not  of  the  indi- 
vidual members  of  them.  There  may  be  persons  amongst 
these,  and  not  a  few,  who,  although  not  free  from  the 
guilt  of  having  entangled  themselves  in  such  associa- 
tions, yet  are  neither  themselves  partners  in  their  crim- 
inal acts,  nor  aware  of  the  ultimate  object  which  they 
arc  endeavoring  to  attain.  In  the  same  way,  some  of  the 
allilialed  societies,  perhaps,  by  no  means  approve  of  the 
extreme  conclusions  which  they  would,  if  consistent,  em- 
brace as  necessarily  following  from  their  common  prin- 
ciples, did  not  their  very  foulness  strike  them  with  hor- 
ror. Some  of  these,  again,  are  led  by  circumstances  of 
times  and  places  either  to  aim  at  smaller  things  than  the 
others  usually  attempt,  or  than  they  themselves  woiild 


315 

wish  to  attempt.  They  arc  not,  however,,  for  this  reason, 
to  be  reckoned  as  alien  to  the  Masonic  federation :  for  the 
Masonic  federation  is  to  be  judged  not  so  much  by  the 
tilings  which  it  has  clone,  or  brought  to  completion,  us 
by  the  sum  of  its  pronounced  opinions. 

'•Now,  the  fundamental  doctrine  of  the  Naturalists, 
which  they  sufficiently  make  known  by  their  very  name, 
is  that  human  nature  and  human  reason  ought  in  all 
things  to  be  mistress  and  guide.  Laying  this  down,  they 
care  little  for  duties  1<>  God.  of  pervert  them  by  errone- 
ous and  vague  opinion*.  For  they  deny  that  anything 
has  been  taught  by  God ;  they  allow  no  dogma  of  religion 
or  truth  which  cannot  be  understood  by  the  human  in- 
telligence,, nor  any  teacher  who  ought  to  be  believed  by 
reason  of  his  authority.  And  since  it  is  the  special  and 
exclusive  duty  of  the  Catholic  Church  fully  to  set  forth 
in  words  truths  divinely  received.  |<>  leach,  he-sides  other 
divine  helps  to  salvation,  the  authority  of  its  office,  and 
to  defend  the  same  with  perfect  purify,  it  is  against  the 
Church  that  the  rage  and  attack  of  the  enemies  are  prin- 
cipally directed. 

''In  those  matters  which  regard  religion  let  it  be  seen 
how  the  sect  of  the  Freemasons  acts,  especially  where  it 
;s  more  free  to  act  without  restraint,  and  then  let  any 
one  judge  whether  in  fact  it  does  not  wish  to  carry  out 
ilie  policy  of  the  Naturalists.  By  a  long  and  persevering 
labor,  they  endeavor  to  bring  about  this  result — namely, 
that  the  office  and  authority  of  the  Church  may  become 
of  no  account  in  the  civil  State;  and  for  this  same  rea- 
son they  declare  to  the  people  and  contend  that  Church 
and  State  ought  to  be  altogether  disunited.  By  this 
means  they  reject  from  the  laws  and  from  the  common- 


316 

wealth  the  wholesome  influence  of  the  Catholic  religion; 
and  the)'  consequently  imagine  that  States  ought  to  be 
constituted  without  any  regard  for  the  laws  and  precepts 
of  the  Church. 

"JSTor  do  they  think  it  enough  to  disregard  the  Church 
— the  best  of  guides — unless  they  also  injure  it  by  their 
hostility.  Indeed,  with  them  it  is  lawful  to  attack  with 
impunity  the  very  foundations  of  the  Catholic  religion, 
in  speech,  in  writing,  and  in  teaching;  and  even  the 
rights  of  the  Church  are  not  spared,  and  the  offices  with 
which  it  is  divinely  invested  are  not  safe.  The  least 
possible  liberty  to  manage  affairs  is  left  to  the  Church ; 
and  this  is  done  by  laws  not  apparently  very  hostile,  but 
in  reality  framed  and  fitted  to  hinder  freedom  of  action. 
Moreover,  We  see  exceptional  and  onerous  laws  imposed 
upon  the  clergy,  to  the  end  that  they  may  be  continually 
diminished  in  number  and  in  necessary  means.  We  see 
also  the  remnants  of  the  possessions  of  the  Church  fet- 
tered by  the  strictest  conditions,  and  subjected  to  the 
power  and  arbitrary  will  of  the  administrators  of  the 
State,  and  the  religious  Orders  rooted  up  and  scattered. 

"But  against  the  Apostolic  See  and  the  Roman  Pontiff 
the  contention  of  these  enemies  has  been  for  a  long  time 
directed.  The  Pontiff  was  first,  for  specious  reasons, 
thrust  out  from  the  bulwark  of  his  liberty  and  of  his 
right,  the  civil  princedom ;  soon  he  was  unjustly  driven 
into  a  condition  which  was  unbearable  because  of  the 
difficulties  raised  on  all  sides:  and  now  the  time  has 
come  when  the  partisans  of  the  sects  openly  declare, 
what  in  secret  among  themselves  they  have  for  a  long 
time  plotted,  that  the  sacred  power  of  the  Pontiffs  must 
be  abolished,  and  that  the  Pontificate  itself,  founded  by 


.'517 

divine  right,  must  be  utterly  destroyed.  If  other  proofs 
were  wanting,  this  fact  Avould  bo  sufficiently  disclosed  by 
the  testimony  of  men  well  informed,  of  whom  some  at 
other  times,  and  others  again  recently,  have  declared  it 
io  be  true  of  the  Freemasons  that  they  especially  desire 
to  assail  the  Church  with  irreconcilable  hostility,  and 
that  they  will  never  rest  until  they  have  destroyed  what- 
ever the  Supreme  Pontiffs  have  established  for  the  sake 
of  religion. 

•'If  those  who  are  admitted  as  members  are  not  com- 
manded to  abjure  by  any  form  of  words  the  Catholic 
doctrines,  this  omission,  so  far  from  being  adverse  to  the 
designs  of  the  Freemasons,  is  more  useful  for  their  pur- 
poses. First,  in  this  way  they  easily  deceive  the  simple- 
minded  and  the  heedless,  and  can  induce  a  far  greater 
number  to  become  members.  Again,  as  all  who  offer 
themselves  are  received  whatever  may  be  their  form  of 
religion,  they  thereby  teach  the  great  error  of  this  age — 
that  a  regard  for  religion  should  be  held  as  an  indifferent 
matter,  and  that  all  religions  are  alike.  This  manner  of 
reasoning  is  calculated  to  bring  about  the  ruin  of  all 
forms  of  religion,  and  especially  of  the  Catholic  religion, 
which,  as  it  is  the  only  one  that  is  true,  cannot,  without 
great  injustice,  be  regarded  as  merely  equal  to  other  re- 
ligions. 

"But  the  Naturalists  go  much  further ;  for,  having,  in 
the  highest  things,  entered  upon  a  wholly  erroneous 
course,  they  are  carried  headlong  to  extremes,  either  by 
reason  of  the  weakness  of  human  nature,  or  because  God 
inflicts  upon  them  the  just  punishment  of  their  pride. 
Hence  it  happens  that  they  no  longer  consider  as  certain 
and  permanent  those  things  which  are  fully  understood 


318 

by •  the' natural  light  of  reason,  such  MS  ccriaiuly  are — the 
existence  of  God,  the  immaterial  nature  of  the  human 
soul,  and  its  immortality.  The  sect  of  the  Freemasons, 
by  a  similar  course  of:  error,  is  exposed  to  these,  same 
dangers;  for  although  in  a  general  way  they  may  profess 
the  existence  of  God,  they  themselves  are  witnesses  that 
they  do  not  all  maintain  this  truth  with  the  full  assent 
of  the  mind  or  with  a  firm  conviction.  Xeither  do  they 
conceal  that  this  question  about  God  is  the  greatest  source 
and  cause  of  discords  among  them  ;  in  fact,  it  is  certain 
that  a  considerable  contention  about  this  same  subject 
has  existed  among  'them  very  lately.  But,  indeed,  the 
sect  allows  great  liberty  to  its  votaries,  so  that  to  each 
side  is  given  the  right  to  defend  its  own  opinion,  either 
that  there  is  a  God,  or  that  there  is  none;  and  those  who 
obstinately  contend  that  there  is  no  God  are  as  easily  in- 
itiated as  those  who  contend  that  God  exists,  though, 
like  the  Pantheist",  they  have  false  notions  concerning 
Him;  all  which  is  nothing  else  than  taking  away  the 
reality,  while  retaining  some  absurd  representation  of 
the  divine  nature. 

"When  this  greatest  fundamental  truth  has  been  over- 
turned or  weakened,  it  follows  that  those  truths  also 
which  are  known  by  the  t  cadi  ing  of  nature  must  begin  to 
•fall — namely,  that  all  ihing<  uere  made  by  the  free  will 
of  God  the  Creator :  that  the  world  is  governed  by  Provi- 
dence; that  souls  do  not  die;  that  to  this  life  of  men 
upon  the  earih  there  will  succeed  another  and  an  ever- 
lasting life. 

"When  these  truths  are  done  away  with,  which  are  as 
the  principles  of  nature,  and  important  for  knowledge 
and.  for  practical  use,  it  is  easy  to  see  what  will  become 


319 

of  both  public  and  private  morality.  We  say  nothing  of 
those  more  heavenly  virtues,  which  no  one  can  exercise  or 
even  acquire  without  a  special  gift  and  grace  of  God ;  of 
which  necessarily  no  trace  can  be  found  in  those  who  re- 
ject as  unknown  the  redemption  of  mankind,  the  grace  of 
<iod,  the  Sacraments,  and  the  happiness  to  be  obtained 
in  heaven.  We  speak  now  of  the  duties  which  have  their 
origin  in  natural  probity.  That  God  is  the  Creator  of 
the  world  and  its  provident  ruler:  that  the  eternal  law 
commands  the  natural  order  to  be  maintained,  and  for- 
bids that  it  be  disturbed;  that  the  last  end  of  men  is  a 
destiny  far  above  human  things  and  beyond  this  sojourn- 
ing upon  the  earth:  these  are  the  sources  and  these  the 
principles  of  all  justice  and  morality.  If  these  be  taken 
away,  as  the  Naturalists  and  Freemasons  desire,  there 
will  immediately  be  no  knowledge  as  to  what  constitutes 
justice  and  injustice,  or  upon  what  principle  morality  is 
founded.  And,  in  truth,  the  teaching  of  morality  which 
alone  finds  favor  with  the  sect  of  Freemasons,  and  in 
which  they  contend  that  youth  should  be  instructed,  is 
that  which  they  call  'civil,'  and  "independent/  and  'free;' 
namely,  that  which  does  not  contain  any  religious  belief. 
But  how  insufficient  such  teaching  is,  how  wanting  in 
soundness,  and  how  easily  moved  by  every  impulse  of 
passion,  is  sufficiently  proved  by  its  sad  fruits,  which  have 
already  begun  to  appear.  For  wherever,  by  removing 
Christian  education,  the  sect  has  begun  more  complete- 
ly to  rule,  there  goodness  and  integrity  of  morals  have  be- 
gun quickly  to  perish,  monstrous  and  shameful  opinions 
have  grown  up,  and  the  audacity  of  evil  deeds  has  risen 
to  a  high  degree.  All  this  is  commonly  complained  of 
and  deplored;  and  not  a  few  of  those  who  by  no  means 


320 

wish  to  do  so  are  compelled  by  abundant  evidence  to  give 
not  infrequently  the  same  testimony. 

"Moreover,  since  human  nature  was  stained  by  orig- 
inal sin,  and  is  therefore  more  disposed  to  vice  than  to 
virtue,  for  a  virtuous  life  it  is  absolutely  necessary  to 
restrain  the  disorderly  movements  of  the  soul,  and  to 
make  the  passions  obedient  to  reason.  In  this  conflict 
human  things  must  very  often  be  despised,  and  the  great- 
est labors  and  hardships  must  be  undergone,  in  order 
that  reason  may  always  hold  its  sway.  But  the  Natural- 
ists and  Freemasons,  having  no  faith  in  those  things 
which  we  have  learned  by  the  revelation  of  God,  deny 
that  our  first  parents  sinned,  and  consequently  think 
that  free-will  is  not  at  all  weakened  and  inclined  to  evil. 
On  the  contrary,  exaggerating  rather  our  natural  virtue 
and  excellence,  and  placing  therein  alone  the  principle 
and  rule  of  justice,  they  cannot  even  imagine  that  there 
is  any  need  at  all  of  a  constant  struggle  and  a  perfect 
steadfastness  to  overcome  the  violence  and  rule  the  pas- 
sions of  our  nature.  Wherefore  we  see  that  men  are  pub- 
licly tempted  by  the  many  allurements  of  pleasure ;  that 
there  are  journals  and  pamphlets  with  neither  modera- 
tion nor  shame;  that  stage-plays  are  remarkable  for  li- 
cense; that  designs  for  works  of  art  are  shamelessly 
sought  in  the  laws  of  a  so-called  realism,;  that  the  con- 
trivances for  a  soft  and  delicate  life  are  most  carefully 
devised;  and  that  all  the  blandishments  of  pleasure  are 
diligently  sought  out  by  which  virtue  may  be  lulled  to 
sleep.  Wickedly  also,  but  at  the  same  time  quite  con- 
sistently, do  those  act  who  do  away  with  the  expectation 
of  the  joys  of  heaven,  and  bring  down  all  happiness  to 
the  level  of  mortality,  and,  as  it  were,  sink  it  in  the  earth. 


321 

Of  what  We  have  said  the  following  fact,  astonishing  not 
so  much  in  itself  as  in  its  open  expression,  may  serve  as 
a  confirmation.  For  since  generally  no  one  is  accustomed 
to  obey  crafty  and  clever  men  so  submissively  as  those 
whose  soul  is  weakened  and  broken  down  by  the  domina- 
tion of  the  passions,  there  have  been  in  the  sect  of  the 
Freemasons  some  who  have  plainly  determined  and  pro- 
posed that,  artfully  and  of  set  purpose,  the  multitude 
should  be  satiated  with  a  boundless  license  of  vice,  as, 
when  this  had  been  done,  it  would  easily  come  under 
their  power  and  authority  for  any  acts  of  daring. 

"What  refers  to  domestic  life  in  the  teaching  of  the 
Naturalists  is  almost  all  contained  in  the  following  dec- 
larations. That  marriage  belongs  to  the  genus  of  com- 
mercial contracts,  which  can  rightly  be  revoked  by  the 
will  of  those  who  made  them,  and  that  the  civil  rulers  of 
the  State  have  power  over  the  matrimonial  bond.  That 
in  the  education  of  youth  nothing  is  to  be  taught  in  the 
matter  of  religion  as  of  certain  and  fixed  opinion;  and 
each  one  must  be  left  at  liberty  to  follow,  when  he  comes 
of  age,  whatever  he  may  prefer.  To  these  things  the 
Freemasons  fully  assent;  and  not  only  assent,  but  have 
long  endeavored  to  make  them  into  a  law  and  institu- 
tion. For  in  many  countries,  and  those  nominally  Cath- 
olic, it  is  enacted  that  no  marriages  shall  be  considered 
lawful  except  those  contracted  by  the  civil  rite ;  in  other 
places  the  law  permits  divorce;  and  in  others  every  effort 
is  used  to  make  it  lawful  as  soon  as  may  be.  Thus  the 
time  is  quickly  coming  when  marriages  will  be  turned 
into  another  kind  of  contract — that  is,  into  changeable 
and  uncertain  unions  which  fancy  may  join  together,  and 
which  the  same  when  changed  may  disunite.  With  the 


322 

greatest  unanimity  the  sect  of  the  Freemasons  also  en- 
deavors to  take  to  itself  the  education  of  youth.  The\ 
think  that  they  can  easily  mould  to  their  opinions  that 
soft  and  pliant  age,  and  bend  it  whither  llu-y  will:  and 
that  nothing  can  be  more  fitted  than  this  to  enable  them 
to  bring  up  the  youth  of  the  State  after  their  own  plan. 
Therefore  in  the  education  and  instruction  of  children 
they  allow  no  share,  either  of  teaching  or  of  discipline, 
to  the  ministers  of  the  Church ;  and  in  many  places  they 
have  procured  that  the  education  of  youth  shall  be  ex- 
clusively in  the  hands  of  laymen,  and  that  nothing  which 
treats  of  the  most  important  and  most  holy  duties  of 
men  to  God  shall  be  introduced  into  the  instructions  on 
morals. 

"Then  come  their  doctrines  of  politics,  in  which  the 
Naturalists  lay  down  that  all  men  have  the  same  right, 
;md  are  in  every  respect  of  equal  and  like  condition;  that 
each  one  is  naturally  free:  that  no  one  has  the  right  to 
command  another:  that  it  is  an  act  of  violence  to  require 
men  to  obey  any  authority  other  than  that  which  is  ob- 
tained from  themselves.  According  to  this,  therefore,  all 
things  belong  to  the  free  people:  power  is  held  by  the 
command  or  permission  of  the  people,  so  that,  when  the 
popular  will  changes,  rulers  may  lawfully  be  deposed; 
and  the  source  of  all  rights  and  civil  duties  is  either  in 
the  multitude  or  in  the  governing  authority,  when  this  is 
constituted  according  to  the  latest  doctrines.  It  is  held 
also  that  the  State  should  he  without  God;  that  in  the 
various  forms  of  religion  there  is  no  reason  why.  one 
should  have  precedence  of  another ;  and  that  they  are  all 
to  occupy  the  same  place. 

"That  these  doctrines  are  equally  acceptable   to   the 


323 

Freemasons,  and  that  they  would  wish  to  constitute 
States  according  to  this  example  and  model,  is  too  well 
known  to  require  proof.  For  some  time  past  they  have 
openly  endeavored  to  bring  this  about  with  all  their 
strength  and  resources ;  and  in  this  they  prepare  the  way 
for  not  a  few  bolder  men  who  are  hurrying  on  even  to 
worse  things,  in  their  endeavor  to  obtain  equality  and 
community  of  all  goods  by  the  destruction  of  every  dis- 
tinction of  rank  and  property. 

"What  therefore  the  sect  of  the  Freemasons  is,  and 
what  course  it  pursues,  appears  sufficiently  from  the 
summary  We  have  briefly  given.  Their  chief  dogmas  are 
so  greatly  and  manifestly  at  variance  with  reason,  that 
nothing  can  be  more  perverse.  To  wish  to  destroy  the 
religion  and  the  Church  which  God  Himself  has  estab- 
lished, and  whose  perpetuity  He  insures  by  His  protec- 
tion, and  to  bring  back  after  a  lapse  of  eighteen  centu- 
ries the  manners  and  customs  of  the  pagans,  is  signal 
folly  and  audacious  impiety.  Neither  is  it  less  horrible 
nor  more  tolerable  that  they  should  repudiate  the  bene- 
fits which  Jesus  Christ  has  mercifully  obtained,  not  only 
for  individuals,  but  also  for  the  family  and  for  civil  so- 
ciety, benefits  which,  even  according  to  the  judgment  and 
testimony  of  enemies  of  Christianity,  are  very  great.  In 
this  insane  and  wicked  endeavor  we  may  almost  see  the 
implacable  hatred  and  spirit  of  revenge  with  which  Satan 
himself  is  inflamed  against  Jesus  Christ.  So  also  the 
studious  endeavor  of  the  Freemasons  to  destroy  the  chief 
foundations  of  justice  and  honesty,  and  to  co-operate 
with  those  who  would  wish,  as  if  they  were  mere  ani- 
mals, to  do  what  they  please,  tends  only  to  the  ignomini- 
ous and  disgraceful  ruin  to  the  human  race.  The  evil, 


324 

too,  is  increased  by  the  dangers  which  threaten  both  do- 
mestic and  civil  society.  As  We  have  elsewhere  shown, 
in  marriage,  according  to  the  belief  of  almost  every^  na- 
tion, there  is  something  sacred  and  religious ;  and  the  law 
of  God  has  determined  that  marriages  shall  not  be  dis- 
solved. If  they  are  deprived  of  their  sacred  character, 
and  made  dissoluble,  trouble  and  confusion  in  the  family 
will  be  the  result,  the  wife  being  deprived  of  her  dignity, 
and  the  children  left  without  protection  as  to  their  in- 
terests and  well-being. — To  have  in  public  matters  no 
care  for  religion,  and  in  the  arrangement  and  adminis- 
tration of  civil  affairs  to  have  no  more  regard  for  God 
than  if  he  did  not  exist,  is  a  rashness  unknown  to  the 
very  pagans;  for  in  their  heart  and  soul  the  notion  of  a 
divinity  and  the  need  of  public  religion  were  so  firmly 
fixed,  that  they  would  have  thought  it  easier  to  have  a 
city  without  foundation  than  a  city  without  God. 
Human  society,  indeed,  for  which  by  nature  we  arc 
formed,  has  been  constituted  by  God  the  Author  of 
nature;  and  from  Him,  as  from  their  principle  and 
source,  flow  in  all  their  strength  and  permanence  the 
countless  benefits  with  which  society  abounds.  As  we 
are  each  of  us  admonished  by  the  very  voice  of  nature  to 
worship  God  in  piety  and  holiness,  as  the  giver  unto  us 
of  life  and  of  all  that  is  good  therein,  so  also  and  for 
the  same  reason,  nations  and  states  are  bound  to  wor- 
ship Him ;  and  therefore  it  is  clear  that  those  who  would 
absolve  society  from  all  religious  duty  act  not  only  un- 
justly, but  also  with  ignorance  and  folly. 

"As  men  are  by  the  will  of  God  born  for  civil  union  and 
society,  and  as  the  power  to  rule  is  so  necessary  a  bond  of 
society  that,  if  it  be  taken  away,  society  must  at  once  be 


325 

broken  up,  it  follows  that  from  Him  who  is  the  Author 
of  society  has  come  also  the  authority  to  rule,;  so  that 
whosoever  rules,  he  is  the  minister  of  God.  Wherefore, 
as  the  end  and  nature  of  human  society  so  requires,  it 
is  right  to  obey  the  just  commands  of  lawful  authority, 
as  it  is  right  to  obey  God  who  ruleth  all  things ;  and  it  is 
most  untrue  that  the  people  have  it  in  their  power  to 
cast  aside  their  obedience  whensoever  they  please. 

"In  like  manner,  no  one  doubts  that  all  men  are  equal 
one  to  another,  so  far  as  regards  their  common  origin 
and  nature,  or  the  last  end  which  each  one  has  to  attain, 
or  the  rights  and  duties  which  are  thence  derived.  But 
as  the  abilities  of  all  are  not  equal,  as  one  differs  from 
another  in  the  powers  of  mind  or  body,  and  as  there  are 
very  many  dissimilarities  of  manner,  disposition,  and 
character,  it  is  most  repugnant  to  reason  to  endeavor  to 
confine  all  within  the  same  measure,  and  to  extend  com- 
plete equalit}'  to  the  institutions  of  civil  life. 
Just  as  a  perfect  condition  of  the  body  re- 
sults from  the  conjunction  and  composition  of 
its  various  members,  which,  though  differing  in 
form  and  purpose,  make,  by  their  union  and  the  dis- 
tribution of  each  one  to  its  proper  place,  a  combination 
beautiful  to  behold,  firm  in  strength,  and  necessary  for 
use ;  so  in  the  commonwealth,  there  is  almost  an  infinite 
dissimilarity  of  men,  as  parts  of  the  whole.  If  they  are 
to  be  all  equal,  and  each  is  to  follow  his  own  will,  the 
State  will  appear  most  deformed;  but  if,  with  a  distinc- 
tion of  degrees  of  dignity,  of  pursuits  and  employments, 
all  aptly  conspire  for  the  common  good,  they  will  present 
a  natural  image  of  a  well-constituted  State. 

"Now,  from  the  disturbing  errors  which  We  have  de- 


326 

scribed  the  greatest  dangers  to  States  are  to  be  feared. 
For,  the  fear  of  (rod  and  reverence  for  divine  laws  -being 
taken  away,  the  authority  of  rulers  despised,  sedition 
permitted  and  approved,  and  the  popular  passions  urged 
on  to  lawlessness,  with  no  restraint  save  that  of  punish- 
ment, a  change  and  overthrow  of  all  things  will  neces- 
sarily follow.  Yea,  this  change  and  overthrow  is  deliber- 
ately planned  and  put  forward  by  many  associations  of 
Communists  and  Socialists;  and  to  their  undertakings 
the  sect  of  freemasons  is  not  hostile,  but  greatly  favors 
their  designs  and  holds  in  common  with  them  their  chief 
opinions.  And  if  these  men  do  not  at  once  and  every- 
where endeavor  to  carry  out  their  extreme  views,  it  is  not 
to  be  attributed  to  their  teaching  and  their  will,  but  to 
the  virtue  of  that  divine  religion  which  cannot  be  de- 
stroyed; and  also  because  the  sounder  part  of  men,  re- 
fusing to  be  enslaved  to  secret  societies,  vigorously  re- 
sist their  insane  attempts. 

"Would  that  all  men  would  judge  of  the  tree  by  its 
fruits,  and  would  acknowledge  the  seed  and  origin  of  the 
evils  which  press  upon  us,  and  of  the  dangers  that  are 
impending !  We  have  to  deal  with  a  deceitful  and  era  fty 
enemy,  who,  gratifying  the  ears  of  people  and  of  princes, 
has  ensnared  them  to  smooth  speeches  and  by  adulation. 
Ingratiating  themselves  with  rulers  under  a  pretence  of 
friendship,  the  Freemasons  have  endeavored  to  make 
them  their  allies  and  powerful  helpers  for  the  destruction 
of  the  Christian  name ;  and  that  they  might  more  strong- 
ly urge  them  on,  they  have,  witli  determined  calumny, 
accused  the  Church  of  insidiously  contending  with  rulers 
in  matters  that  affect  their  authority  and  sovereign 
power.  Having,  by  these  artifices,  insured  their  own 


327 

safety  and  audacity,  they  have  begun  to  exercise  great 
Aveight  in  the  government  of  States;  but  nevertheless 
they  are  prepared  to  shake  the  foundations  of  empires, 
to  harass  the  rulers  of  the  State,  to  accuse,  and  to  cast 
them  out  as  often  as  they  appear  to  govern  otherwise 
than  they  themselves  could  have  wished.  In  Hke  man- 
ner they  have  by  flattery  deluded  the  people.  Pro- 
claiming with  a  loud  voice  liberty  and  public  prosper- 
ity, and  saying  that  it  was  owing  to  the  Church  and 
to  sovereigns  that  the  multitude  were  not  drawn 
out  of  their  unjust  servitude  and  poverty,  they  have 
imposed  upon  the  people:  and,  exciting  them  by 
a  thirst  for  novelty,  they  have  urged  them  to  assail 
both  the  Church  and  the  civil  power.  Neverthe- 
less, the  expectation  of  the  benefits  which  were  hoped  for 
Avas  greater  than  the  reality;  indeed,  the  common  pople, 
more  oppressed  than  they  Avere  before,  are  deprived  in 
their  misery  of  that  solace  Avhich,  if  things  had  been 
arranged  in  a  Christian  manner,  they  Avould  have  had 
Avith  ease  and  in  abundance.  But  Avhoever  strive  against 
the  order  which  Divine  Providence  has  constituted  pay 
usually  the  penalty  of  their  pride,  and  meet  with  afflic- 
tion and  misery  where  they  rashly  hoped  to  find  all 
things  prosperous  and  in  conformity  Avith  their  desires. 
"The  Church,  if  she  directs  men  to  render  obedience 
chiefly  and  above  all  to  God  the  Sovereign  Lord,  is 
Avrongly  and  falsely  believed  either  to  be  envious  of  the 
civil  poA\rer,  or  to  arrogate  to  herself  something  of  the 
rights  of  sovereigns.  On  the  contrar}',  she  teaches  that 
Avhat  is  rightly  due  to  the  civil  poAver  must  be  rendered  to 
it  with  a  conviction  and  consciousness  of  duty.  In  teach- 
ing that  from  God  Himself  comes  the  right  of  ruling, 


328 

she  adds  a  great  dignity  to  civil  authority,  and  no  small 
help  towards  obtaining  the  obedience  and  good  will  of  the 
citizens.  The  friend  of  peace  and  sustainer  of  concord, 
she  embraces  all  with  maternal  love!  and,  intent  only 
iipon  giving  help  to  moral  man,  she  teaches  that  to 
justice  must  be  joined  clemency,  equity  to  authority,  and 
moderation  to  law-giving;  that  no  one's  right  must  be 
violated;  that  order  and  public  tranquility  are  to  be 
maintained;  and  that  the  poverty  of  thttse  who  are  in 
need  is,  as  far  as  possible,  to  be  relieved  by  public  and 
private  charity.  'But  for  this  reason,'  to  use  the 
words  of  St.  Augustine,  'men  think,  or  would  have  it 
believed,  that  Christian  teaching  is  not  suited  to  the 
good  of  the  State ;  for  they  wish  the  State  to  be  founded 
not  on  solid  virtue,  but  on  the  impunity  of  vice.'  Know- 
ing these  things,  both  princes  and  people  would  act  with 
political  wisdom,  and  according  to  the  needs  of  general 
safety,  if,  instead  of  joining  with  Freemasons  to  destroy 
the  Church,  they  joined  with  the  Church  in  repelling 
their  attacks. 

"Whatever  the  future  may  be,  in  this  grave  and  wide- 
spread evil  it  is  Our  duty,  Venerable  Brethren,  to  endea- 
vor to  find  a  remedy.  And  because  We  know  that  Our 
best  and  firmest  hope  of  a  remedy  is  in  the  power  of  that 
divine  religion  which  the  Freemasons  hate  in  proportion 
to  their  fear  of  it,  We  think  it  to  be  of  chief  importance 
to  call  the  most  saving  power  to  Our  aid  against  the 
common  enemy.  Therefore,  whatsoever  the  Koman 
Pontiffs  Our  Predecessors  have  decreed  for  the  purpose 
of  opposing  the  undertakings  and  endeavors  of  the 
Masonic  sect,  and  whatsoever  they  have  enacted  to  deter 
or  withdraw  men  from  societies  of  this  kind,  We  ratify 


329 

and  confirm  it  all  by  Our  Apostolic  authority :  and  trust- 
ing greatly  to  the  good  will  of  Christians,  We  pray  and 
beseech  each  one,  for  the  sake  of  his  eternal  salvation,  to 
be  most  conscientiously  careful  not  in  the  least  to  depart 
from  what  the  Apostolic  See  has  commanded  in  this 
matter. 

"We  pray  and  beseech  you,  Venerable  Brethren,  to 
join  your  efforts  with  Ours,  and  earnestly  to  strive  for  the 
extirpation  of  this  foul  plague,  which  is  creeping  through 
the  veins  of  the  State.  You  have  to  defend  the  glory  of 
God  and  the  salvation  of  your  neighbor;  and  with  this 
object  of  your  strife  before  you,  neither  courage  nor 
strength  will  be  wanting.  It  will  be  for  your  prudence 
to  judge  by  what  means  you  can  best  overcome  the 
difficulties  and  obstacles  you  meet  with.  But  as  it  befits 
the  authority  of  Our  office  that  We  Ourselves  should 
point  out  some  suitable  way  of  proceeding,  We  wish  it 
to  be  your  rule  first  of  all  to  tear  away  the  mask  from 
Freemasonry,  and  let  it  be  seen  as  it  really  is;  and  by 
sermons  and  Pastoral  Letters  to  instruct  the  people  as  to 
the  artifices  used  by  societies  of  this  kind  in  seducing  men 
and  enticing  them  into  their  ranks,  and  as  to  the  deprav- 
ity of  their  opinions  and  the  wickedness  of  their  acts. 
As  Our  Predecessors  have  many  times  repeated,  let  no 
man  think  that  he  may  for  any  reason  whatsoever  join 
the  Masonic  sect,  if  he  values  his  Catholic  name  and  his 
eternal  salvation  as  he  ought  to  value  them.  Let  no  one 
be  deceived  by  a  pretence  of  honesty.  It  may  seem  to 
some  that  Freemasons  demand  nothing  that  is  openly 
contrary  to  religion  and  morality ;  but,  as  the  whole  prin- 
ciple and  object  of  the  sect  lies  in  what  is  vicious  and 


330 

criminal,  to  join  with  these  men  or  in  any  way  to  help 
them  cannot  be  lawful. 

"Further,  by  assiduous  teaching  and  exhortation,  the 
multitude  must  be  drawn  to  learn  diligently  the  precepts 
of  religion ';  for  which  purpose  We  earnestly  advise  that 
by  opportune  writings  and  sermons  they  be  taught  the 
elements  of  those  sacred  truths  in  which  Christian  phil- 
osophy is  contained.  The  result  of  this  will  be  that  the 
minds  of  men  will  be  made  sound  by  instruction,  and 
will  be  protected  against  many  forms  of  error  and  in- 
ducements to  wickedness,  especially  in  the  present  un- 
bounded freedom  of  writing  and  insatiable  eagerness  for 
learning. 

"Great,  indeed,  is  the  work;  but  in  it  the  clergy  will 
share  your  labors  if,  through  your  care,  they  are  fitted  for 
it  by  learning  and  a  well  trained  life.  This  good  and 
great  work  requires  to  be  helped  also  by  the  industry  of 
those  amongst  the  laity  in  whom  a  love  of  religion  and 
of  country  is  joined  to  learning  and  goodness  of  life.  By 
uniting  the  efforts  of  both  clergy  and  laity,  strive,  Vener- 
able Brethren,  to  make  men  thoroughly  know  and  love 
the  Church;  for  the  greater  their  knowledge  and  love 
of  the  Church,  the  more  will  they  be  turned  away  from 
clandestine  societies. 

'•'Wherefore,  not  without  cause,  do  We  use  this  occasion 
to  state  again  what  We  have  stated  elsewhere,  namely, 
that  the  Third  Order  of  St.  Francis,  whose  discipline  We 
a  little  while  ago  prudently  mitigated,  should  be  studi- 
ously promoted  and  sustained;  for  the  whole  object  of 
this  Order,  as  constituted  by  its  founder,  is  to  invite  men 
to  an  imitation  of  Jesus  Christ,  to  love  of  the  Church, 
and  to  the  observance  of  all  Christian  virtues;  and  there- 


331 

fore  it  ought  to  be  of  great  influence  in  suppressing  the 
contagion  of  wicked  societies.  Let,  therefore,  this  holy 
sodality  be  strengthened  by  a  daily  increase.  Amongst 
the  many  benefits  to  be  expected  from  it  will  be  the  great 
benefit  of  drawing  the  minds  of  men  to  liberty,  frater- 
ity,  and  equality  of  right;  not  such  as  the  Freemasons 
absurdly  imagine,  but  such  as  Jesus  Christ  obtained  for 
the  human  race  and  St.  Francis  aspired  to:  the  liberty, 
We  mean,  of  sons  of  God,  through  which  we  may  be  free 
from  slavery  to  Satan  or  to  our  passions,  both  of  them 
most  wicked  masters;  the  fraternity  whose  origin  is  in 
God,  the  common  Creator  and  Father  of  all;  the  equality 
which,  founded  on  justice  and  charity,  does  not  take 
away  all  distinctions  among  men,  but,  out  of  the  varieties 
of  life,  of  duties,  and  of  pursuits,  forms  that  union  and 
that  harmony  which  naturally  tend  to  the  benefit  and 
dignity  of  the  State. 

"In  the  third  place,  there  is  a  matter  wisely  instituted 
by  our  forefathers,  but  in  course  of  time  laid  aside,  which 
may  now  be  used  as  a  pattern  and  form  of  something 
similar.  We  mean  the  associations  or -guilds  of  work- 
men, for  the  protection,  under  the  guidance  of  religion, 
both  of  their  temporal  interests  and  of  their  morality. 
If  our  ancestors,  by  long  use  and  experience,  felt  the 
benefits  of  these  guilds,  our  age  perhaps  will  feel  it  the 
more  by  reason  of  the  opportunity  which  they  will  give 
of  crushing  the  power  of  the  sects.  Those  who  support 
themselves  by  the  labor  of  their  hands,  besides  being,  by 
their  very  condition,  most  worthy  above  all  others  of 
charity  and  consolation,  are  also  especially  exposed  to  the 
allurements  of  men  whose  ways  lie  in  fraud  and  deceit. 
Therefore  they  ought  to  be  helped  with  the  greatest  pos- 


332 

sible  kindness,  and  to  be  invited  to  join  associations  that 
are  good,  lest  they  be  drawn  away  to  others  that  are  evil. 
For  this  reason  We  greatly  wish,  for  the  salvation  of  the 
people,  that,  under  the  auspices  and  patronage  of  the 
Bishops,  and  at  convenient  times,  these  guilds  may  be 
generally  restored.  To  our  great  delight,  soladities  of 
this  kind,  and  also  associations  of  masters,  have  in  many 
places  already  been  established,  having,  each  class  of 
them,  for  their  object  to  help  the  honest  workman,  to 
protect  and  guard  his  children  and  family,  and  to  pro- 
mote in  them  piety,  Christian  knowledge,  and  a  moral 
life.  And  in  this  matter  We  cannot  omit  mentioning 
that  exemplary  society,  named  "after  its  founder  St. 
Vincent,  which  has  deserved  so  well  of  the  people  of  the 
lower  order.  Its  acts  and  its  aims  are  well  known.  Its 
whole  object  is  to  give  relief  to  the  poor  and  miserable. 
This  it  does  with  singular  prudence  and  modesty;  and 
the  less  it  wishes  to  be  seen,  the  better  is  it  fitted  for  the 
exercise  of  Christian  charity  and  for  the  relief  of  suffer- 
ing. 

"In  the  fourth  place,  in  order  more  easily  to  attain  what 
We  wish,  to  your  fidelity  and  watchfulness  We  commend 
in  a  special  manner  the  young,  as  being  the  hope  of 
human  society.  Devote  the  greatest  part  of  your  care 
to  their  instruction ;  and  do  not  think  that  any  precau- 
tion can  be  great  enough  in  keeping  them  from  masters 
and  schools  whence  the  pestilent  breath  of  the  sects  is  to 
be  feared.  Under  your  guidance,  let  parents,  religious 
instructors,  and  priests  having  the  care  of  souls,  use 
every  opportunity,  in  their  Christian  teaching,  of  warn- 
ing their  children  and  pupils  of  the  infamous  nature  of 
these  societies,  so  that  they  may  learn  in  good  time  to  be- 


333 

ware  of  the  various  and  fraudulent  artifices  by  which 
their  promoters  are  accustomed  to  ensnare  people.  And 
those  who  instruct  the  young  in  religious  knowledge  will 
act  wisely,  if  they  induce  all  of  them  to  resolve  and  to 
undertake  never  to  bind  themselves  to  any  society  with- 
out the  knowledge  of  their  parents,  or  the  advice  of  their 
parish  priest  or  director. 

"We  well  know,  however,  that  our  united  labors  will  by 
no  means  suffice  to  pluck  up  these  pernicious  seeds  from 
the  Lord's  field,  unless  the  Heavenly  Master  of  the  vine- 
yard shall  mercifully  help  us  in  our  endeavors.  We 
must,  therefore,  with  great  and  anxious  care,  implore  of 
Him  the  help  which  the  greatness  of  the  danger  and  of 
the  need  requires.  The  sect  of  the  Freemasons  shows 
itself  inselent  and  proud  of  its  success,  and  seems  as  if  it 
would  put  no  bounds  to  its  pertinacity.  Its  followers, 
joined  together  by  a  wicked  compact  and  by  secret  coun- 
sels, give  help  one  to  another,  and  excite  one  another  to 
an  audacity  for  evil  things.  So  vehement  an  attack  de- 
mands an  equal  defense — namely,  that  all  good  men 
should  form  the  widest  possible  association  of  action  and 
of  prayer.  We  beseech  them,  therefore,  with  united 
hearts,  to  stand  together  and  unmoved  against  the  ad- 
vancing force  of  the  sects ;  and  in  mourning  and  suppli- 
cation to  stretch  out  their  hand  to  God,  praying  that  the 
Christian  name  may  flourish  and  prosper,  that  the 
Church  may  enjoin  its  needed  liberty,  that  those  who 
have  gone  astray  may  return  to  a  right  mind,  that  error 
at  length  may  give  place  to  truth,  and  vice  and  virtue. 
Let  us  take  as  our  helper  and  intercessor  the  Virgin 
Mary,  Mother  of  God,  so  that  she,  who,  from  the  mo- 
ment of  her  Conception,  overcame  Satan,  may  show  her 


334 

power  over  these  evil  sects,  in  which  is  revived  the  con- 
tumacious spirit  of  the  demon,  together  with  his  unsub- 
dued perfidy  and  deceit.  Let  us  beseech  Michael,  the 
prince  of  the  heavenly  Angels,  Avho  drove  out  the  infernal 
foe;  and  Joseph,  the  spouse  of  the  Most  Holy  Virgin, 
and  heavenly  Patron  of  the  Catholic  Church;  and  the 
great  Apostles,  Peter  and  Paul,  the  fathers  and  victor- 
ious champions  of  the  Christian  faith.  By  their  patron- 
age, and  by  perseverance  in  united  prayer,  We  hope  that 
God  will  mercifully  and  opportunely  succor  the  human 
race,  which  is  encompassed  by  so  many  dangers. 

"As  a  pledge  of  heavenly  gifts  and  of  Our  benevo- 
lence, We  lovingly  grant  in  the  Lord,  to  you,  Venerable 
Brethren,  and  to  the  clergy  and  all  the  people  committed 
to  your  watchful  care,  Our  Apostolic  Benediction. 
•  "Given  at  Rome,  at  St.  Peter's,  on  the  twentieth  day 
of  April,  in  the  year  1884,  the  seventh  year  of  Our 
Pontificate.  POPE  LEO  XIII." 


CHAPTER  III. 

THE  HIERARCHY  OF  THE  UNITED  STATES. 

At  the  very  first  gathering  of  bishops  in  the  United 
States,  in  the  year  1810,  they  urged  the  faithful  to 
keep  aloof  from  all  secret  societies.  On  March  13,  1826, 
Leo.  XII.  published  his  Encyclical  "Quo  Graviora"  in 
which  he  says :  "These  sects  must  be  repressed,  for  the 
cause  of  religion  is,  especially  in  these  times,  so  bound 
up  with  the  stability  of  society,  that  in  no  way  can  the 
one  be  sundered  from  the  other.  For  all  that  belong 
to  those  secret  societies,  dearly  beloved  Catholic  princes 
and  sons  in  Jesus  Christ,  are  the  enemies,  not  less  of  your 
authority,  than  of  religion  also.  They  are  making 
an  attack  upon  both ;  they  are  plotting  to  overturn  both 
from  their  foundation,  and,  if  they  prove  able,  they  will, 
for  a  certainty,  not  permit  either  any  religion  or  any 
royal  power  to  exist.  So  great  is  the  cunning  and  astute- 
ness of  these  men,  that,  when  they  appear  most  bent  on 
extending  your  power,  then  they  are  most  busy  in  con- 
triving its  total  overthrow.  They  give  you  very  many 
reasons  to  persuade  those  who  have  in  their  hands  the 
administration  of  affairs,  that  our  power  and  that  of 
the  bishops,  should  be  curtailed  and  weakened,  and  that 
many  of  the  rights  which  belong  to  this  See,  and  those 
which  belong  to  the  bishops  who  participate  in  our  cares, 
should  be  transferred  to  the  secular  rulers.  This  they 
do  not  only  from  that  most  bitter  hatred  which  they  bear 


336 

to  all  religions,  but  also  from  a  cunning  scheme,  hoping 
that  the  people  who  are  subject  to  your  authority,  when 
they  see  those  restraints  abolished,  which  were  imposed 
by  Christ  and  His  Church,  which  He  established,  will 
be  the  more  easily  induced,  with  such  an  example  before 
their  eyes,  to  change,  or  even  destroy  the  form  of  politi- 
cal government. 

" Be  assured  that  no  one  can  join  any  of 

these  societies,  without  becoming  guilty  of  a  most  griev- 
ous crime.  Therefore,  all  ye  beloved  children  who  pro- 
fess the  Catholic  faith,  shut  your  ears  to  the  words  of 
those,  who,  in  order  to  persuade  you  to  assent  to  join 
the  lower  grades  of  their  society,  affirm  most  emphatic- 
ally, that  in  those  grades  nothing  is  permitted  which  ia 
contrary  to  reason  and  religion ;  and  further,  that  noth- 
ing is  heard  or  seen  which  is  not  holy,  and  right,  and 
pure.  Yet  that  wicked  oath  which  is  taken  in  the  lower 
grades  is  enough  in  itself  to  make  you  see  that  it  is  crim- 
inal to  join  even  the  lowest  grades,  or  to  remain  after 
you  have  joined  them.  Moreover,  although  the  weightier 
and  more  criminal  matters  are  not  usually  committed 
to  those  who  have  not  attained  to  higher  grades,  yet 
it  is  very  plain  that  the  power  and  audacity  of  these 
mischievous  societies  are  increased  in  proportion  to  the 
numbers,  and  the  unanimity  of  those  who  have  inscribed 
their  names.  Therefore  those  who  have  passed  the  lower 
grades  must  be  guilty  of  the  crimes  committed  by  those 
in  the  higher  grades." 

When  the  Odd-Fellows  and  Good-Templars  established 
lodges  in  the  United  States,  the  question  was  raised, 
whether  these  Orders  were  included  in  the  above  con- 
demnation by  Leo  XII.  To  settle  the  controversy  the 


331 

Archbishop  of  Philadelphia,  Most  Rev.  F.  P.  Kenrick, 
under  date  of  Feb.  20,  18-13,  asked  the  Prefect  of  the 
Propaganda  for  a  decision.  After  a  lengthy  correspond- 
ence from  different  sides,  and  the  Roman  authority  hav- 
ing obtained  all  available  information,  Cardinal  J.  Ph. 
Fransoni,  under  date  Sept.  ?,  1850,  replied  that  these 
societies  were  included  in  the  letter  of  Leo.  XII,  and 
consequently  no  Catholic  could. join  them  or  remain  a 
member. 

In  their  Pastoral  letter  addressed  to  all  the  faithful 
in  the  United  States,  at  the  close  of  the  Third  Plenary 
Council  of  Baltimore,  Dec.  7,  1884,  the  assembled  bish- 
ops say:  "...  .Our  Holy  Father  Leo  XIII.,  has  lately 
shown  that  the  Masonic  and  kindred  societies.  . .  .have 
. . .  .gone  so  far,  in  many  countries,  as  to  array  them- 
selves in  avowed  hostility  against  Christianity,  and 
against  the  Catholic  Church  as  its  embodiment;  that 
they  virtually  aim  at  substituting  a  world-wide  frater- 
nity of  their  own,  for  the  universal  brotherhood  of  Jesus 
Christ,  and  at  disseminating  mere  naturalism  for  the 
supernatural  revealed  religion  bestowed  upon  mankind 
by  the  Saviour  of  the  world.  He  has  shown  too,  that, 
even  in  countries  where  they  are  as  yet  far  from  acknowl- 
edging such  purposes,  they  nevertheless  have  in  them 
the  germs,  which,  under  favorable  circumstances,  would 
inevitably  blossom  forth  in  similar  results.  The  Church, 
consequently,  forbids  her  children  to  have  any  connection 
with  such  societies,  because  they  are  either  an  open  evil 
to  be  shunned  or  a  hidden  danger  to  be  avoided.  She 
would  fail  in  her  duty  if  she  did  not  speak  the  word  of 
warning,  and  her  children  would  equally  fail  in  theirs, 
if  they  did  not  heed  it. 


338 

"Whenever,  therefore,  the  Church  has  spoken  authori- 
tively  with  regard  to  any  society,  her  decision  ought  to 
be  final  for  every  Catholic.  He  ought  to  know  that  the 
Church  lias  not  acted  hastily,  nor  unwisely,  nor  mis- 
takenly: he  should  be  convinced  that  any  worldly  ad- 
vantages which  lie  might  derive  from  membership  in 
such  society,  would  be  a  poor  substitute  for  the  mem- 
bership, the  sacraments,  and  the  blessings  of  the  Church 
of  Christ;  he  should  have  the  courage  of  his  religious 
convictions,  and  stand  firm  to  faith  and  conscience.  But 
if  he  be  inclined  or  asked  to  join  a  society  on  which  the 
Church  has  passed  no  sentence,  then  let  him,  as  a  reason- 
able and  Christian  man,  examine  into  it  carefully,  and 
not  join  the  society  until  he  is  satisfied  as  to  its  lawful 
character. 

"There  is  one  characteristic  which  is  always  a  strong 
presumption  against  a  society,  and  that  is  secrecy.  Our 
Divine  Lord  Himself  has  laid  down  the  rule:  'Every 
one  that  doeth  evil,  hateth  the  light  and  cometh  not  to 
the  light,  that  his  work?  may  not  be  reproved:  but  he 
that  doth  truth  cometh  to  the  light,  that  his  works  may 
be  made  manifest,  because  they  are  done  in  God'  (John 
iii,  20,  21).  When  therefore  associations  veil  themselves 
in  secrecy  and  darkness,  the  presumption  is  against  them, 
and  it  rests  with  them  to  prove  that  there  is  nothing 
evil  in  them. 

"But  if  any  society's  obligation  be  such  as  to  bind  its 
members  to  secrecy,  even  when  rightly  questioned  by 
competent  authority,  then  such  a  society  puts  itself  out- 
side of  the  limits  of  approval,  and  no  one  can  be  a  mem- 
ber of  it,  and  at  the  same  time  be  admitted  to  the  sacra- 
ments of  the  Catholic  Church.  The  same  is  true  of  any 


339 

organization  that  binds  its  members  to  a  promise  of 
blind  obedience  to  accept  in  advance  and  to  obey  what- 
soever orders,  lawful  or  unlawful,  that  may  emanate 
from  its  chief  authorities,  because  such  a  promise  is  con- 
trary both  to  reason  and  to  conscience.  And  if  a  society 
works  or  plots,  either  openly  or  in  secret,  against  the 
Church,  or  against  lawful  authorities,  then  to  be  a  mem- 
ber of  it  is  to  be  excluded  from  the  membership  of  the 
( 'atholic  Church.  These  authoritative  rules,  therefore, 
ought  to  be  the  guide  of  all  Catholics  in  their  relation 
with  societies.  jSTo  Catholic  can  conscientiously  join,  or 
continue  in,  a  body  which  he  knows  that  any  of  these  con- 
demned features  exist.  If  he  has  joined  it  in  good  faith 
and  the  objectionable  features  become  known  to  him 
afterwards,  or  if  any  of  these  evil  elements  creep  into  a 
society  which  was  originally  good,  it  becomes  his  duty  to 
leave  it  at  once.  And  even  if  he  were  to  suffer  loss  or  run 
risk  by  leaving  such  a  society  or  refusing  to  join  it,  he 
should  do  his  duty  and  brave  the  consequences,  regardless 
of  human  considerations." 

Of  the  decrees  of  the  Council,  twelve  paragraphs  of 
Caput  HI.  are  devoted  to  secret  societies.  The  above 
words  from  the  Pastoral  are  used  and  in  paragraph  249 
the  decree  reads :  "If  a  society,  besides  being  secret  and 
oath-bound,  has  a  chaplain  of  its  own,  and  a  ritual  pre- 
scribing prayers  and  religious  services,  then  such  a  soci- 
ety becomes  also  heretical  and  schismatical,  and  members 
incur  the  censures  against  heretics  and  schismatics,  viz. : 
They  cannot  be  counted  any  longer  as  Catholics." 

When  in  1894  the  Roman  authorities  pronounced  sen- 
tence against  the  societies  of  the  Odd-Fellows,  Knights 
of  Pythias,  Good  Templars  and.  Sons  of  Temperance, 


340 

and  all  similar  societies,  most  strenuous  efforts  were 
made  to  have  the  decree  changed,  but  of  no  avail.  In 
one  of  the  many  responses  given  by  Rome,  the  Sacred 
Congregation  observes :  "This  is  not  a  question  of  mere 
ecclesiastical  law,  which  docs  not  bind  under  serious  loss, 
but  it  is  one  of  the  natural  and  divine  laws,  and  of  not 
giving  scandal  under  that  law." 

ISTo  Catholic  can  belong  to  any  of  these  societies  and 
at  the  same  time  receive  the  sacraments  of  the  Church. 
The  final  decision  of  Rome  has  never  been  changed,  and 
these  societies  arc  absolutely  condemned.  The  only  case? 
in  which  relief  is  afforded  is  by  an  appeal  to  the  Apos- 
tolic Delegate  at  Washington.  There  are  a  few  cases 
where  extreme  hardship  would  be  created  through  the 
loss  of  insurance,  for  which  premiums  had  been  paid 
regularly  for  a  number  of  years.  The  adjustment  will 
practically  depend  upon  the  circumstances  of  the  appeal- 
ing members. 

For  any  appeal  to  the  Apostolic  Delegate  to  be  con- 
sidered worthy  of  consideration,  the  following  four  con- 
ditions must  exist  in  the  same  case: 

First.  If  the  Catholic  member  in  question  entered 
the  society  before  he  was  aware  that  it  was  forbidden  by 
the  Church. 

Second.  If  there  be  no  scandal,  or  if  the  same  be  re- 
moved by  the  timely  declaration  of  the  party  in  question 
that  his  sole  motive  in  remaining  is  not  to  lose  the  finan- 
cial benefits,  and  that  he  will  abstain  from  all  intercourse 
with  the  forbidden  society. 

Third.  If  the  member  in  question  cannot  leave  the 
society  except  with  grave  damage  to  himself  or  his  fam- 
Of. 


341 

Fourth.  There  must  not  be  the  least  danger  to  him- 
self or  to  his  family  of  being  perverted  by  the  sectaries, 
especially  is  the  case  of  sickness  or  death  to  be  consid- 
ered, so  that  the  danger  of  an  un-Catholic  funeral  be  en- 
tirely absent. 

No  priest  or  bishop  can  absolve  a  member  of  any  of 
these  societies,  but  recourse  must  be  had  in  the  individual 
case  to  the  Apostolic  Delegate.  It  is  needless  to  remark 
that  the  four  conditions  above  enumerated  will  hardly 
ever  concur  in  any  single  practical  case.  This  ought  to 
settle  the  question  concerning  Catholics  and  secret  soci- 
eties, but  it  seems  that  it  is  necessary  for  Rome  to  con- 
demn one  after  the  other  by  designating  each  one  by 
name. 


CHAPTER  IV. 

MGI;.    MARTIXELLI    ON    THE    SECRET    SOCIETY    QUESTION. 

In  a  criticism  of  the  (13th)  edition  of  Father  Sabetti's 
Moral  Theology,  the  book  reviewer  of  the  American 
Catholic  Quarterly  Review,  October,  1896,  wrote : 

"We  are  not  certain  that  we  vfully  understand  the  au- 
thor's interpretation  of  the  clause  in  the  decree  of  Janu- 
ary 18,  189fi,  which  reserves  to  the  Apostolic  Delegate 
the  decision  regarding  the  verification  of  the  conditions 
which  justify  a  confessor  in  granting  absolution  without 
exacting  a  formal  renunciation  of  the  three  societies  late- 
ly condemned.  If  we  remember  rightly,  the  decree  does 
not  prescribe  this  reference  to  the  Delegate  in  singulis 
casibus,  as  the  learned  author  seems  to  imply,  but  in 
casibus  particularibiis,  which  is  generally  interpreted  to 
mean  in  cases  where  there  exists  a  doubt  as  to  the  appli- 
cation of  the  four  conditions  demanded  by  the  Holy  See. 
As  the  majority  of  these  cases  meet  us  at  the  death-beds 
of  penitents,  it  is  obvious  that  the  recursus  to  the  Dele- 
gate toties  quoties  is  absolutely  impossible.  Nor  will  the 
'desired  uniformity'  be  lacking  if  confessors  adhere 
scrupulously  to  the  terms  of  the  decree.  This  appears 
to  us  so  self-evident  that  we  are  convinced  it  is  also  the 
author's  view,  and  we  refer  to  it  merely  for  the  purpose 
of  putting  our  readers  on  their  guard  against  a  possible 
misinterpretation  of  his  words." 


343 

The  Catholic  Standard  and  Times  publishes  the  fol- 
lowing letter,  dated  November  10,  1896.  and  addressed  to 
the  managing  editor  of  the  Quarterly,  Father  Loughlin : 

"Kev.  Dear  Sir:  My  attention  has  been  called  to  the 
criticism  of  Father  Sabetti's  'Moral  Theology'  in  the  last 
number  of  the  Quarterly.  I  desire  to  say  that  Father 
Sabctti  is  right  regarding  the  necessity  of  applying  to 
this  Delegation  in  every  case  for  the  permission  to  re- 
main an  associate  member  of  the  forbidden  societies,  and 
your  critic  is  wrong.  With  regard  to  the  hour  of  death 
of  the  penitent,  every  confessor  must  surely  know  that 
in  such  cases  absolution  is  given  after  the  penitent  prom- 
ises to  apply  to  the  proper  authority  for  the  permission 
in  case  he  should  recover  his  health  and  life.  With  sen- 
timents of  highest,  esteem  and  fraternal  charity,  I  remain 
most  faithfully  yours  in  Christ. 

"•{•SEBASTIAN, 
"Abp.  of  Ephesus,  Ap.  Del." 


RECENT  PUBLICATIONS   BY  THE 
SAME  AUTHOR  = 

PA-HA-SAP-PA 

=    OR   = 


The  Black  Hills 
of  South  Dakota 


A  book  of  over  700  pages;  profusely  illustrated  with 
views  of  Indian  Life,  Mining  Scenes,  rich  half-tone  views 
of  cities  and  incidents  in  the  Black  Hills.  A  complete 
Appendix  is  attached  giving  a  detailed  account  of  the 
resources  of  the  Hills,  with  several  interesting  Mining 
Lectures  by  Judge  Daniel  McLaughlin,  before  the  School 
of  Mines  in  Rapid,  South  Dakota.  Price,  $2.00. 

Hundert  Tage  in  Europa;  oder,  Reise  fibers  Meer, 
durch  Irland,  England,  Frankreich,  die  Schweiz,  Italien 
und  die  heiiuathlichen  Gefilde  Deutschlands,  etc.  8vo. 
pp.  390.  Preis,  75  cents. 

History  of  Fort  Ridgley  and  its  Siege,  August,  1862. 
Pamphlet,  pp.  16.  8vo.  Price,  10  cents. 

Any  of  the  above  publications  will  be  sent  to  any  ad- 
dress on  receipt  of  the  price  thereof  in  money-order  or 
stamps. 


ADDRESS 


REV.   P.   ROSEN 

Hollandale         ^         ^         Wisconsin 


ucsou 


A    000  082  930 


